THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


JOSEPH  SMITH, 


REMINISCENCES  OF 
SARATOGA 

OR 

TWELVE  SEASONS   AT  THE 
" STATES " 


BY 

JOSEPH  SMITH 


ILLUSTRATED 


"Cbe  Unicfeerbocfeer  preaa 
w  3Uork 
1897 


COPYRIGHT,    1897 
BY 

JOSEPH    SMITH 


CONTENTS. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

I. — AT  THE  FAMOUS  OLD  CLARENDON 
II. — BEYOND  THE  SEA        ..... 
III. — LONDON  AND  PARIS    ..... 

IV. — THE    STORY  OF   FOUR   SEASONS   AT   THE 
STATES    ....... 

V. — Two  DELIGHTFUL  SEASONS  AT  THE  STATES 
VI. — WISDOM,  WEALTH,  AND  BEAUTY 

VII. — Two  EVENTFUL  SUMMERS  AT  THE  FAMOUS 
HOSTELRY        ...... 

VIII. — A  TRIP  TO  CARLSBAD          .... 

IX. — THE     MEMORABLE    SEASON    OF    'NINETY- 
FOUR        

X. — SOME  OF  THE  MOST  PROMINENT  EVENTS  IN 
THE  SOCIETY  WORLD       .... 

XI. — IMPORTANT  INCIDENTS  RECALLED  DURING 
THE  SEASON    OF    'NINETY-FIVE 

XII. — PERSONAL    REMINISCENCES    OF    NOTABLE 
MEN  WHO  HAVE  VISITED  SARATOGA 

iii 


PAGE 
I 

II 

28 
40 

54 
69 
90 

109 

'52 

164 


229 

278 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 

JOSEPH  SMITH  .....  Frontispiece 
ROBERT  G.  REMSEN  .  .  .  .  .  .16 

COMMODORE  VANDERBILT 24 

HENRY  CLEWS        .......       32 

WILLIAM  H.  VANDERBILT       .....      40 

VICTOR  HUGO 52 

CORNELIUS  VANDERBILT         .....       62 

G.  P.  MOROSINI 78 

D.  B.  IVISON 86 

HON.  JOHN  WANAMAKER  .....  94 
HON.  J.  S.  T.  STRANAHAN  .....  104 
DANIEL  DOUGHERTY  .  .  .  .  .  .114 

HENRY  A.  HURLBUT 124 

RICHARD  V.  HARNETT  ......     132 

ROBERT  L.  CUTTING      ......     140 

JESSE  SELIGMAN      .......     150 

JAMES  P.  WALLACE        ......     160 

ORSON  D.  MUXN 170 

CAPT.  WARREN  C.  BEACH       .....     180 

Hox.  LEVI  P.  MORTON 194 

HON.  ROSWELL  P.  FLOWER     .....     204 

IRA  P.  WARREN      .         .         .         .         .         .         .212 

LIEUT. -CoM.  T.  BAILEY  MYERS  MASON  .  .  220 
EDWARD  M.  KLEMM 230 


vi  Illustrations. 


REV.  OLIVER  CRANE,  D.D.,  LL.D.         .         .         .  240 

JOHN  H.  VAN  ANTWERP         .  ...  250 

CALVIN  S.  MAY,  M.D 260 

HON.  BENJAMIN  F.  TRACY     .....  270 

JAY  GOULD     ........  282 

SIMON  WORMSER      .......  290 

THE  WHITE  HOUSE 300 

JEFFERSON  SELIGMAN      ......  310 


REMINISCENCES   OF   SARATOGA 


REMINISCENCES  OF  SARATOGA. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

I    WAS  born  in  Charleston,   South   Carolina,  on 
the  ninth  day  of  March,  1832,  and  was  edu- 
cated in  the  private  schools  of  my  native  city. 
At  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  I  was  sent  North  by 
my  father  in   the  care  of  Beale  and   Craven,  who 
owned  and  conducted,  and  were  exhibiting  in  the 
city  at  that  time,  a  panorama  called  "  A  trip  to  Cali- 
fornia by  way  of  the  Horn,  returning  by  the  isthmus 
of  Panama." 

On  the  eve  of  my  departure  from  home,  my  father 
placed  in  my  hand  a  letter,  containing  most  excellent 
advice,  from  which  I  append  an  extract : 

"CHARLESTON,  March  16,  1850. 
"  DEAR  JOSEPH  : 

"As  you  are  about  leaving  us,  and  perhaps  forever,  as 
life  is  uncertain,  I  cannot  part  with  you  without  a  few 
words  of  advice.  You  are  going  into  the  world  to  seek 
your  fortune  at  a  time  of  life  that  requires  all  your  en- 


2  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

ergies  to  obtain  success.  You  well  know  the  right  from 
the  wrong,  and  if  you  persevere  in  the  former,  I  have 
little  doubt  that  you  will  attain  a  respectable  and  per- 
haps wealthy  position  in  society.  Industry,  economy, 
and  strict  honesty  are  the  principal  points.  You  are 
going  to  places  where  temptations  and  allurements  to 
evil  in  every  shape  will  beset  you.  If  you  can  overcome 
these,  your  success  will  be  certain.  Shun  everything 
that  tends  to  lead  you  astray  from  what  you  know  to  be 
right  as  you  would  shun  a  rattlesnake.  Make  a  confidant 
and  friend  of  your  employer.  Consult  him  in  your 
affairs  ;  above  all,  I  beseech  you,  do  nothing  to  forfeit 
the  confidence  he  has  in  you.  Study  his  interests  con- 
stantly. My  greatest  anxiety  for  you,  my  son,  is  the 
danger  you  may  be  in  of  falling  into  bad  company.  In 
nine  cases  out  of  ten,  with  all  young  men,  this  is  the  first 
step  to  ruin.  Let  this  be  constantly  impressed  upon 
your  mind,  with  every  acquaintance  you  may  make.  Let 
your  conduct  towards  every  one  show  them  that  you 
have  a  proper  self-respect." 

The  memory  of  that  letter  sweetens  with  age. 

A  Bible  was  also  placed  in  my  hands  by  my  eldest 
married  sister,  which  had  formerly  belonged  to  my 
deceased  mother.  Putting  the  book  in  my  carpet- 
bag, I  started  the  next  morning  for  Baltimore, 
Maryland,  in  a  sailing  vessel,  the  voyage  occupying 
nearly  two  weeks. 

When  off  Cape  Hatteras  we  ran  into  the  teeth  of 
a  savage  gale,  and  from  that  moment  began  a  des- 
perate struggle  that  practically  lasted  until  we 
reached  Chesapeake  Bay.  I  became  greatly  alarmed, 
my  mind  and  thoughts  were  wafted  back  to  old 


Autobiography.  3 

Charleston,  to  my  friends  and  relatives  and  to  the 
happy  Christian  home  I  had  so  recently  left  behind. 
Suddenly  I  found  myself  on  my  knees  reaching  for 
the  Bible,  when  on  opening  it  my  eyes  fell  for  the 
first  time  on  a  bit  of  note-paper  which  my  sister  had 
carefully  cut  to  fit  the  fly  leaf,  and  then  sewed  on 
with  needle  and  thread,  and  which  remains  intact  to 
this  day.  On  this  paper  she  had  traced  the  following 
tender  words  at  parting  : 

"  Dear  Brother  make  this  precious  Book  your  guide 
through  life.  Oh  remember  your  Creator  in  the  days  of 
your  youth  and  then  you  will  be  prepared  for  all  the 
hardships  you  may  have  to  meet  with  in  leaving  friends 
and  home.  With  the  hope  that  you  will  take  my  advice, 
I  commit  you  into  the  hands  of  God,  who  will  take  care 
of  all  who  trust  in  him.  May  God  bless  you,  is  the 
prayer  of  your  sister, 

"  EMELINE  S.  KINLOCH." 

"  March  13,  1850." 

What  a  hallowed  name  is  Home.  How  full  of 
enchantment  and  how  dear  to  the  heart.  Home  is 
the  magic  circle  within  which  the  weary  spirit  finds 
refuge.  "There  are  many  roosts  for  a  man,"  some 
one  has  wittily  said,  "  but  only  one  nest."  And  now 
let  me  say  to  my  readers,  especially  do  I  address 
myself  to  young  men,  let  your  life  be  attuned  to  the 
right  chord.  Love  your  Home.  Let  no  flowers  be 
so  sweet  as  those  which  blossom  there.  Let  your 
interest  cluster  like  a  beautiful  vine  about  your 
father  and  mother,  your  sisters  and  your  brothers. 
Home,  that  name  touches  every  fibre  of  our  nature, 
and  strikes  every  chord  of  the  human  soul. 


4  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

"  'Mid  pleasures  and  palaces  though  we  may  roam, 
Be  it  ever  so  humble,  there 's  no  place  like  home." 

After  remaining  with  the  panorama  two  years, 
travelling  through  the  Northern  States,  I  finally 
settled  down  in  Albany,  N.  Y. 

The  two  following  years  I  secured  a  place  in  the 
home  of  Mr.  Rufus  H.  King,  No.  i  Park  Place,  whose 
family  consisted  at  that  time  of  the  wife,  the  three 
sons,  Henry  L.,  J.  Howard,  and  Rufus  H.,  Jr.,  and 
the  only  daughter,  Anna,  the  last  of  whom  became 
the  wife  of  Mr.  Franklin  Townsend  during  my  stay 
at  the  house.  Mrs.  Rufus  H.  King  was  a  most 
estimable  lady,  and  the  companionship  of  such  a 
wife  made  Mr.  King's  life  a  happy  one.  Only  two 
of  the  original  family  are  now  living:  Mr.  J.  Howard 
King,  who  occupies,  with  his  charming  wife  and 
three  lovely  daughters,  the  old  homestead,  and  his 
brother,  General  Rufus  H.  King,  who  resides  just 
across  the  way  in  the  most  aristocratic  part  of  Elk 
Street,  with  his  accomplished  and  handsome  wife, 
two  sons,  and  one  daughter,  Mary  Amelia,  tall, 
graceful,  and  exceedingly  pretty ;  and  General  King 
takes  the  greatest  pride  and  delight  in  his  children. 
The  unalterable  love  and  devotion  of  J.  Howard 
King  to  his  mother  was  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
traits  of  his  character,  standing  out  in  my  memory 
after  all  the  interval  of  years. 

I  am  a  member  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church 
of  Albany,  and  also  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  January  4, 
1854,  I  was  married  to  an  Albany  woman,  and  within 
the  summer  of  that  year  I  removed  with  my  wife  to 
Hudson,  N.  Y.,  to  conduct  a  private  house  called 


Autobiography.  5 


the  "  Hermitage,"  owned  by  C.  C.  Algcr,  the  iron 
king,  whose  works  were  located  in  that  city.  Our 
"Hermitage"  became  a  temporary  home  for  him 
while  in  the  city,  but  his  family  residence  was  at 
Newburgh-on-Hudson,  where  he  was  most  pleasantly 
housed  on  the  magnificent  estate  of  the  late  Andrew 
Jackson  Downing,  who  lost  his  life  on  the  ill-fated 
steamer,  Henry  Clay,  which  took  fire  about  three 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  July  28,  1852,  near  Yon- 
kers,  and  was  burned  to  the  water's  edge,  fifty-six 
persons  perishing  in  the  flames.  The  boat  had  been 
racing  with  the  Armenia.  Mr.  Downing  is  chiefly 
remembered  by  his  books  on  landscape  gardening. 

Mr.  Alger  was  a  superb  entertainer  at  both  of  his 
establishments,  the  frequent  visitors  at  Hudson  in- 
cluding such  representative  men  as  David  Dudley 
Field  ;  Gouverneur  Kemble,  of  Cold  Spring ;  John 
F.  Winslow  and  John  A.  Griswold,  both  of  Troy ; 
Richard  Henry  Winslow,  of  Westport,  Conn. ; 
Samuel  Ward,  the  famous  epicure,  who  is  author  of 
the  adage,  "The  best  way  to  reach  a  man's  heart  is 
through  his  stomach";  and  Mr.  Jacob  Leroy,  who 
purchased  and  moved  up  in  the  old  Livingston 
Manor,  Columbia  County. 

Remaining  at  Hudson  till  the  summer  of  1860,  I 
began  at  Saratoga  in  1861,  engaging  to  fill  a  respon- 
sible place  at  Congress  Hall,  at  that  time  conducted 
by  Hathorn  and  McMichael,  Mr.  James  H.  Bres- 
lin,  the  present  popular  and  genial  proprietor  of 
the  Gilsey  House,  New  York,  then  a  very  young 
man,  filled  the  position  of  chief  clerk  at  Congress 
Hall ;  and  I  think  I  make  no  mistake  when  I  affirm 


6  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

that  Mr.  Breslin  was  certainly  on  duty  seventeen 
hours  out  of  the  twenty-four.  I  do  not  wonder  at 
his  achievements  in  hotel  life,  when  I  recall  the 
fidelity  of  his  early  manhood.  His  remarkable  suc- 
cess is  due  to  the  fact  that  he  was  born  with  common 
sense — that  vigorous,  unpretentious  common  sense 
which  goes  so  far  to  make  the  typical  American. 
Nothing  could  be  more  offensive  to  him  than  flat- 
tery ;  but  I  speak  only  the  simple  truth  when  I 
designate  him  as  one  of  the  model  hotel  proprietors 
of  the  country. 

I  remained  at  Congress  Hall  during  the  four  years 
of  our  Civil  War,  and  in  1865  I  commenced  at  the 
Clarendon  with  Charles  E.  Leland,  who  graduated 
in  hotel  ethics  at  the  popular  Metropolitan,  New 
York,  when  that  house  was  so  ably  conducted  by 
his  uncles,  Simeon,  Warren,  and  Charles  Leland. 
But  the  nephew  made  his  great  hotel  reputation  in 
Albany,  at  the  famous  Delavan  House,  of  which  he 
was  proprietor  for  eighteen  years,  during  which 
time  he  was  also  owner  and  proprietor  of  the  bon- 
ton  Clarendon  Hotel,  Saratoga,  where  for  fifteen 
summers  he  entertained  the  best  people  of  the  land. 
During  the  same  period  he  was  also  proprietor  of 
the  elegant  Rossmore,  New  York.  Thus  he  was,  al- 
though a  young  man,  the  proprietor  of  three  highly 
popular  hotels  at  the  same  time. 

On  the  eighteenth  day  of  June,  1865,  the  United 
States  Hotel,  Saratoga,  erected  in  1824,  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire;  and  in  consequence  of  this  acci- 
dent, the  Clarendon  sprang  at  once  into  prominence, 
and  became  the  leading  hotel  of  the  Springs. 


A  iitobiog  raphy.  7 

I  continued  with  Mr.  Leland  till  1872;  and  after 
an  absence  of  one  season,  1873,  returned  to  my  old 
place  during  1874,  '75,  and  '76.  In  the  autumn  of 
the  last-named  year  I  sailed  for  England,  and  re- 
mained abroad  the  two  following  years.  My  object 
in  going  to  London  was  to  open  an  office  for  fur- 
nishing couriers  and  guides  and  imparting  general 
information  to  parties  of  Americans  going  on  the 
Continent. 

During  my  stay  in  the  world's  metropolis,  I  stop- 
ped with  a  family  named  Terry.  Mr.  Terry  had 
been  in  the  service  of  Baroness  Burdett  Coutts  some 
fourteen  years  ;  and  he  related  to  me  many  interest- 
ing things  about  that  noble  woman.  On  returning 
to  America  I  spent  a  social  evening  with  an  esteemed 
friend  at  Albany ;  and  the  conversation  drifted  to 
the  subject  of  forming  a  society,  the  object  of  which 
should  be  charity  and  benevolence,  with  special 
reference  to  extending  a  helping  hand  in  time  of 
sickness  and  death.  Invitations  were  sent  out  ask- 
ing co-operation ;  and  a  few  of  us  finally  met  at  my 
house  and  effected  an  organization.  Looking  around 
for  a  suitable  name,  I  suggested  that  of  Lady  Bur- 
dett Coutts  which  was  unanimously  adopted,  and 
which  has  remained  the  name  of  the  society  to  the 
present  time.  That  was  in  18/9;  and  subsequently 
responding  to  a  sentiment  at  one  of  our  monthly 
meetings,  I  gave  expression  among  other  things  to 
the  following : 

1 '  If  you  seek  his  monument  look  around  you.'  This 
phrase,  which  in  its  Latin  dress  was  a  compliment  to  Sir 


8  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


Christopher  Wren,  the  famous  London  architect,  may, 
with  still  greater  force  and  propriety,  be  applied  to 
Baroness  Burdett  Coutts  ;  for  while  the  one  could  boast 
of  his  triumphs  in  the  public  edifices  of  the  Metropolis 
of  England,  the  other  can  seek  her  eulogy  in  the  hearts 
and  houses  of  the  poor  of  London.  God  bless  her  ! 
Ascended  to  Heaven  these  many  years,  yet  her  princely 
benevolence  still  interposes  between  the  poor,  and  the 
horrors  of  cold  and  hunger.  This  is  Baroness  Burdett 
Coutts'  best  and  most  fitting  monument." 

The  Burdett  Coutts  Benevolent  Association  of 
Albany,  N.  Y.,  is  an  incorporated  body  and  has  in 
its  roll  of  membership  many  of  the  leading  citizens 
of  that  city,  and  is  at  present  in  a  flourishing  condi- 
tion. 

In  the  pages  that  follow  I  shall  have  a  good  deal 
to  say  about  my  trip  to  Europe,  which  will  not  be 
without  interest  to  my  readers,  I  trust. 

The  year  1879  found  me  as  superintendent  of  the 
Kenmorc  Hotel,  Albany,  Adam  Blake  proprietor. 
But,  in  1880,  I  returned  to  the  Clarendon  under  a 
new  management  and  remained  during  the  seasons 
of  iSSi,  1882,  and  1883. 

The  good  old  Clarendon  had  many  pleasant  memo- 
ries for  me;  but,  in  1884,  I  bade  adieu  to  my  old 
home  and  accepted  a  position  as  usher  at  the  United 
States  Hotel,  where  I  have  served  continually  for 
the  past  twelve  years.  And  now  after  so  long  an 
association  with  this  noted  Spa,  and  among  its  best 
class  of  visitors,  I  have  been  repeatedly  urged  to 
write  a  book  containing  my  reminiscences  of  Sara- 
toga summer  life  as  it  appears  to  me.  After  decid- 


Autobiography.  9 

ing  to  perform  this  task,  I  still  hesitated  about 
printing  names.  But  remembering  that,  in  the 
many  years  of  service  rendered  among  the  large 
number  of  guests  that  flock  here  annually,  I  received 
from  them  nothing  but  the  most  considerate  kind- 
ness, I  felt  sure  that  I  could  not  offend  by  telling 
my  readers,  in  unmistaken  language,  who  are  the 
friends  that  made  Saratoga  a  second  home  to  me, 
and  also  made  it  possible  for  me  to  write  these  my 
reminiscences. 

Always  an  American,  and  knowing  nothing  grander 
than  to  wear  the  proud  title  of  citizen  of  the  great 
Republic,  I  rested  all  my  claims  to  attention  when 
abroad  upon  that  simple  name,  and  I  only  appeal  to 
the  patronage  of  my  fellow-citizens  at  home  as  an 
American  to  Americans.  But  the  memory  of  the 
favors  tendered  me  through  all  the  thirty-two  sum- 
mers by  these  good  people  will  always  abide  with 
me.  And  now  before  I  sever  my  connection  with 
the  States — confident  that  I  will  do  so  with  the 
deepest  regret  and  gratitude— and  of  my  feeling  of 
sincere  admiration  for  the  throng  of  patrons  who 
frequent  this  great  summer  resort ;  and  if  I  may  be 
allowed  to  bring  forward  the  genial  American  poet, 
Oliver  Wendell  Holmes,  to  speak  a  farewell  senti- 
ment for  me,  I  would  have  him  put  it  in  these  simple 
words : 

"  Say  kindly  of  me  what  is  chiefly  true, 
Remembering  always  I  belong  to  you. 
Deal  with  me  as  a  stranger  if  you  will, 
But  keep  me,  claim  me,  call  me  Joseph  still." 


IO 


Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


My  full  baptismal  name  is  Joseph  Aubin  Smith, 
but  as  I  have  always  been  known  as  Joseph  Smith, 
at  Saratoga,  I  choose  that  simple  name  for  my 
literary  signature  in  this  book. 


CHAPTER  I. 

AT   THE   FAMOUS   OLD   CLARENDON. 

THEY  tell  us  that  the  word  hotel,  like  the  words 
hospital  and  hospitality,  comes  from  the  old 
Latin  word  hospes,  meaning  guest.  The  hotel 
should,  therefore,  be  as  home-like  as  possible,  making 
those  who  register  on  its  books  feel  as  if  they  had  a 
warm  and  sympathetic  place  in  every  heart  connected 
with  the  establishment ;  a  place  something  like  their 
old  homestead,  so  that  they  will  not  too  much  regret 
their  absence  from  the  familiar  fireside.  Goldsmith 
has  described  the  best  kind  of  a  hotel,  and  has  pro- 
nounced a  poetical  benediction  upon  it  in  these 
words : 

"  Blest  be  that  spot  where  cheerful  guests  retire, 
To  pause  from  toil  and  trim  their  evening  fire  ; 
Blest  that  abode  where  want  and  pain  repair, 
And  every  stranger  finds  a  ready  chair." 

And  I  am  glad  to  say  that  my  experience  has  been 
passed  at  such  hotels  as  that. 

Passing  over  the  time  spent  at  the  Congress  Hall, 
which  covered  the  exciting  years  of  the  Civil  War,  I 


12  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

proceed  at  once  to  note  my  connection  with  the 
Clarendon  as  mail-carrier  and  omnibus  conductor,  be- 
ginning with  June,  1865.  Of  course,  with  the  burn- 
ing of  the  States,  our  hotel,  gaining  nearly  all  that 
they  lost,  sprang  at  once  into  greater  prominence 
and  prosperity;  and  the  Clarendon  from  that  time 
was  a  favorite  hostelry  with  the  best  and  oldest 
families  visiting  at  the  Spa. 

And  now  as  the  faces  of  these  good  people  pass 
before  me,  and  while  I  remember  their  many  kind- 
nesses to  me  and  their  many  noble  qualities  that 
shone  out  before  all  the  great  world  where  I  could 
not  see,  may  I  not  ask  one  and  another  of  them  to 
pause  a  moment  before  the  looking-glass  of  my 
memory  while  I  introduce  them  pleasantly  to  the 
reader  of  these  pages  ? 

When  I  recall  the  summer  of  1866  at  the  Claren- 
don I  am  reminded  vividly  of  Mr.  Peter  Lorillard's 
family,  occupying  as  they  did  the  entire  suite  of 
rooms  at  the  front  of  the  house.  It  was  on  a  Satur- 
day morning,  if  my  memory  serves  me  aright,  when 
one  of  the  maids  of  the  Lorillard  family  told  me 
that  Miss  Eva's  intended  would  arrive  on  that  even- 
ing to  spend  Sunday  in  Saratoga.  I  had  not  learned 
the  name  of  the  gentleman  ;  but  on  Sunday  morn- 
ing early,  while  I  had  charge  of  the  office,  a  finely 
dressed  and  handsome  man  came  in  to  inquire  for 
his  mail.  He  wore  a  velvet  coat,  and  vest  to  match, 
with  buff  cloth  pants,  silk  hat  and  a  heavy  watch 
chain.  Addressing  me,  he  smiled  ;  and  then  what 
was  my  surprise  to  discover  that  it  was  none  other 
than  young  Kip,  whom  I  had  known  in  Albany 


At  the  Famous  Old  Clarendon.  13 


years  before,  and  who  was  the  son  of  the  Rev.  Wm. 
Ingraham  Kip,  Protestant  Episcopal  Bishop  of  Cali- 
fornia, lately  passed  away.  The  younger  Kip  was 
at  that  time,  and  until  his  marriage  soon  after,  Colo- 
nel Lawrence  Kip  of  the  regular  army,  and  had 
passed  through  twenty-seven  engagements  in  our 
late  war.  Although  it  makes  sad  record,  I  must  say 
here  that  Mr.  Peter  Lorillard  was  taken  ill  toward 
the  end  of  the  season  of  1866,  and  died  at  the  Clar- 
endon after  the  formal  closing  of  the  house  in  Octo- 
ber ;  but  it  is  good  to  add  that  he  was  surrounded 
in  his  last  moments  by  his  four  sons,  George,  Pierre, 
Jacob,  and  Lewis,  and  his  sons-in-law,  Messrs.  Ker- 
nochan  and  Barbey. 

The  name  of  Rev.  Wm.  Ingraham  Kip,  alluded  to 
in  connection  with  the  Lorillards,  recalls  to  many 
Albanians  memories  of  his  residence  in  that  city. 
For  sixteen  years,  from  1837  to  1853,  he  was  Rector 
of  St.  Peter's  Church  in  the  Capital  City,  and  from 
that  parish  was  elected  first  Bishop  of  California,  go- 
ing from  a  successful  work  here  to  a  larger  field  in 
the  land  of  gold.  Bishop  Kip  is  the  author  of  sev- 
eral books,  including  Christmas  Holidays  in  Rome,  Do- 
mestic and  Religious  Life  in  Italy,  and  other  works. 

Who  has  not  heard  of  William  R.  Travers,  born 
in  Baltimore  in  1819,  who  had  a  host  of  admiring 
friends,  and  who  was  a  wit  of  the  higher  type  ?  And 
his  witticisms  were  always  without  malice,  a  part 
of  his  genial,  kindly  disposition,  and  such  as  to 
strengthen  old  friendships  and  to  make  new  ones. 
His  sparkling  and  ready  repartee  was  a  quality  to 
make  him  easily  distinguished  in  the  society  of  New- 


14  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


port,  New  York,  and  Saratoga.  His  witty  sayings 
would  fill  a  volume,  but  I  select  two  as  being  at 
once  like  the  man,  and  worth  relating  for  their  in- 
trinsic humor. 

A  Baltimorean  met  him  one  day  on  Broadway, 
and  the  two  began  a  conversation.  "  By  the  way," 
said  the  man  from  Baltimore,  in  tones  of  sympathy 
rather  than  of  criticism,  "you  seem  to  stutter  more 
in  New  York  than  you  did  in  Baltimore." 

"  B-b-b-bigger  p-place,"  said  Mr.  Travers. 

On  another  occasion  a  friend  mentioned  to  Mr. 
Travers  that  his  house  was  infested  with  rats.  "  G- 
g-get  a  c-c-cat,"  was  the  \vit's  advice.  "  Oh,  I  Ve 
had  a  dozen  cats,"  protested  the  friend,  "  and  they 
are  no  good."  "Then  g-g-get  a  d-d-dog;  I  know 
where  you  c-c-can  g-get  a  g-g-good  d-d-dog." 

The  two  then  repaired  at  once  to  a  dog  fancier's, 
and  a  dog  being  selected,  half  a  dozen  rats  were 
thrown  into  a  pit,  to  test  the  valor  and  strength  of 
the  canine  reformer.  The  dog  very  shortly  rid  him- 
self and  the  premises  of  all  the  rats  but  one.  That 
one,  however,  a  big,  grey,  lusty  fellow,  seized  the 
dog  by  the  lower  lip  and  held  on  with  set  teeth  un- 
til he  yelped  with  pain,  all  the  time  trying  in  vain  to 
shake  off  the  victorious  varmint.  Mr.  Travers  be- 
came at  this  point  thoroughly  excited,  or  else  he 
humorously  feigned  excitement,  and,  rushing  round 
the  pit,  he  exclaimed  :  "  B-b-b-buy  the  r-r-rat.  B-b- 
buy  the  r-r-rat !" 

These  are  among  the  many  anecdotes  all  of  which 
go  to  prove  Mr.  Travers  one  of  the  most  kindly  and 
genuine  wits  that  ever  appeared  in  the  every-day 
business  world. 


At  the  Famous  Old  Clarendon.  15 


There  is  one  graceful,  manly,  high-bred  figure  that 
can  only  come  to  me  in  memory  now  ;  for  it  will 
never  again  be  seen  in  the  halls  and  piazzas  of  the 
great  American  Spa.  I  refer  to  Leonard  W.  Jerome, 
of  whom  it  may  safely  be  said  that  no  man  had  more 
friends  than  he.  Mr.  Jerome  was  certainly  not  the 
worse  for  being  very  fond  of  horses,  and  while  he 
became  a  leading  whip,  and  a  leading  representative 
of  the  four-in-hand  driver's  art  in  this  country,  and 
while  he  made  still  more  conspicuous  ventures  in  the 
yachting  sport,  yet  he  had  heart  and  mind  for  larger 
things.  He  cultivated  and  patronized  the  fine  arts 
in  the  same  generous  fashion  in  which  he  did  every- 
thing to  which  he  turned  his  attention.  He  married 
early  in  life  Miss  Clarissa  Hall,  of  Palmyra,  N.  Y., 
and  he  shared  his  brother  Lawrence's  matrimonial 
tastes  as  well  as  his  social  prominence  and  popularity 
— for  they  married  sisters. 

Something  of  the  character  and  influence  of  Mr. 
Jerome  is  suggested  by  this  story  from  Princeton 
College.  He  had  offered  a  medal  to  the  most  per- 
fect gentleman  in  the  class  soon  to  be  graduated  ; 
and  the  authorities  of  the  institution  asked  him  for 
a  definition  of  the  word  "  gentleman  "  to  guide  them 
in  the  award  of  the  prize.  And  in  reply  Mr.  Jerome 
defined  a  gentleman  as  being  "  He  who  is  the  most 
thoughtful  of  others." 

His  place  on  the  turf,  in  finance,  and  in  society, 
and  especially  in  good  fellowship,  is  little  likely  to 
be  filled,  for  the  conditions  which  moulded  him  and 
his  kindred  spirits  have  passed  forever  away.  There 
were  few  who  knew  him  who  will  not  declare  that, 
judged  by  the  highest  standard  of  the  gentleman, 


16  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


namely,  the  gentleness  of  a  worthy  man,  Mr.  Jerome 
was  a  gentleman  indeed  ;  and  when  he  died  there 
was  one  less  genuine  American  in  the  world.  Of 
course  everybody  knows  that  Mr.  Jerome's  daughter 
became  Mrs.  Churchill,  wife  of  Lord  Randolph 
Churchill,  of  England. 

Lord  Randolph  first  saw  Miss  Jennie  Jerome  at 
Brighton,  being  introduced  to  her  by  the  Prince  of 
Wales,  and  soon  after  married  her,  namely,  in  1874. 

Lord  Randolph  Henry  Spencer  Churchill  was  the 
second  son  of  the  sixth  Duke  of  Marlborough,  and 
was  born  at  Blenheim  castle,  February  13,  1849.  He 
was  educated  at  Eton  and  Oxford,  taking  his  degree 
in  1871.  Lady  Churchill,  beautiful,  amiable,  and 
popular  as  she  was  wealthy,  became  at  once,  on  her 
introduction  to  London  society,  one  of  its  most  con- 
spicuous and  brilliant  figures. 

Among  the  Clarendon  guests  from  Albany,  N.  Y., 
was  the  Hon.  Erastus  Corning,  who  happened  to  be 
spending  the  season  there  with  Mrs.  Corning  when 
the  news  reached  him  of  the  death  of  his  youngest 
son,  Edwin,  at  St.  Catherine's,  Canada.  The  young 
man  had  but  recently  been  married  to  an  esteemed 
young  lady  of  Saratoga,  Miss  Kemp,  the  daughter 
of  a  naval  officer.  I  was  an  eye-witness  to  the 
marriage  ceremony,  which  took  place  at  high  noon 
in  Bethesda  Church,  Saratoga.  The  young  widow 
of  Edwin  Corning  subsequently  became  the  wife  of 
our  respected  and  honored  townsman,  Mr.  Robert 
Lenox  Banks. 

Dr.  John  F.  Gray  was  the  first  physician  in  America 
to  adopt  the  medical  system  of  the  famous  Hahne- 


ROBERT  G.   REMSEN. 


At  the  Famous  Old  Clarendon.  17 


mann.  Born  at  Sherbourne,  N.  Y.,  in  September, 
1804,  Dr.  Gray  was  at  once  a  distinguished  homce- 
opathist  and  an  accomplished  classical  scholar.  Dr. 
Gray  was  always  accompanied  by  his  cultured  and 
charming  daughter,  Miss  Mary. 

And  he  was  as  remarkable  for  private  generosity 
and  personal  kindness  as  for  public  worth.  To  a 
poor  sewing-girl  who  came  to  him  for  advice  he  gave 
a  vial  of  medicine,  telling  her  to  go  home  and  take 
the  medicine  and  go  to  bed.  She  replied  that  she 
could  not  do  so,  because  she  was  dependent  on  her 
daily  earnings  for  her  daily  bread.  "  Then,"  said 
this  big-hearted  physician,  "  I  will  have  to  change 
the  prescription  a  little."  Whereupon  he  took  the 
vial  back,  wrapped  it  in  a  ten-dollar  bill,  and,  hand- 
ing it  to  the  girl,  said  :  "  Now,  go  home  and  take  the 
medicine,  wrapper  and  all  !  " 

It  will  not  be  inappropriate  to  say  in  this  connec- 
tion that  the  rare  doctor  of  whom  I  am  speaking 
once  borrowed  twenty  dollars  of  me  on  the  cars,  and 
soon  afterward  paid  me  thirty  dollars  in  return. 

And  there  came  large-hearted  merchants  to  the 
Clarendon,  men  like  the  older  William  E.  Dodge, 
whose  happiest  fortune  is  the  fact  that  his  son  has 
followed  in  the  father's  footsteps,  asking  for  the  old 
paths,  wherein  is  the  good  way.  I  need  not  tell  the 
reader  about  the  great,  generous  deeds  performed 
by  William  E.  Dodge  ;  for  the  deeds  that  men  do 
live  after  them,  and  no  man  from  the  walks  of 
mercantile  life  has  left  a  larger  legacy  of  those  riches 
which  never  suffer  bankruptcy  and  never  cease  to 
accumulate.  But  perhaps  the  thing  most  to  be 


1 8  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

noted  in  this  departed  saint  is  the  instant  impression, 
almost  conviction,  of  his  own  goodness  which  he 
never  failed  to  create  in  those  who  came  into  associ- 
ation with  him.  His  very  face  was  a  hymn  of  praise, 
and  whether  you  found  him  in  the  crowded  hotel  or 
the  quiet  office  or  in  the  midst  of  a  business  men's 
assembly,  he  always  looked  as  if  he  had  just  come 
from  prayer. 

For  many  years,  both  in  New  York  and  Newport, 
Mr.  Arthur  Leary  was  a  recognized  social  leader ; 
but  more  especially  was  this  so  in  the  life  of  the 
great  metropolis,  where  he  was  long  identified  with 
the  Gramercy  Park  element,  such  as  the  Coopers 
and  Hewetts.  Mr.  Leary  was  constantly  sought  for 
on  all  social  occasions,  and  it  is  said  of  him  that  the 
kindly  impulses  of  his  nature  were  so  strong  that  he 
hesitated  to  decline  an  invitation,  lest  he  might  seem 
in  the  remotest  way  to  slight  those  who  had  invited 
him.  Always  prominent  in  shipping  and  financial 
circles,  Mr.  Leary  was  as  thoroughly  honored  in 
commercial  life  as  he  was  courted  in  the  social  realm, 
and  he  deserved  in  every  way  the  riches  that  death 
found  in  his  hands. 

Mr.  John  C.  Green  of  New  York  was  a  regular 
summer  guest  at  the  Clarendon  ;  and  Mrs.  Green,  a 
charming  lady  and  a  devoted  wife,  always  accompa- 
nied him.  On  one  occasion  Mr.  Green  was  very  ill ; 
and  Mr.  Willoughby,  who  was  known  as  Lord  Wil- 
loughby  in  Saratoga,  presumably  because  of  his  fine 
personal  appearance,  drove  down  from  his  handsome 
villa  to  inquire  about  the  welfare  of  his  friend  Mr. 
Green.  Having  sent  up  his  message,  "  Lord  Wil- 


At  the  Famous  Old  Clarendon.  19 

loughby  "  sat  on  the  piazza,  and  in  the  course  of  con- 
versation told  me  that  Mr.  Green  was  too  rich  a  man 
to  die,  adding  that  his  income  reached  the  enormous 
figure  of  one  thousand  dollars  a  day.  Mr.  Green  recov- 
ered, however,  but  not  because  he  was  too  rich  to  die, 
and  returned  again  the  following  summer.  He  usually 
came  early  in  the  season,  as  did  also  the  Hon.  Fred- 
erick T.  Frelinghuysen  of  New  Jersey,  who,  by  the 
way,  married  Mrs.  Green's  sister,  who  was  a  Gris- 
wold.  I  was  at  that  time  mail-carrier  for  the  house, 
and  when  the  Frelinghuysens  came  to  leave  for 
home,  Miss  Tillie,  one  of  the  daughters,  told  me 
in  the  presence  of  her  father  and  mother  that  I  had 
given  her  ninety-six  letters,  and  added  that  it  was 
as  much  a  pleasure  to  her  to  receive  them  from 
my  hand  as  that  afforded  by  the  contents  of  the 
letters. 

John  G.  Saxe,  the  gifted  and  genial  poet,  was  a 
frequent  and  welcome  visitor  at  the  Clarendon,  for 
every  guest  knew  and  appreciated  the  quiet,  benevo- 
lent humor  of  his  song.  And  many  of  them  could 
certainly  respond  heartily  to  his  protest  against  the 
bores  from  whom  it  was  often  my  duty  to  defend 
them  : 

"  Again  I  hear  that  creaking  step  ! 
He  's  rapping  at  the  door  ! 
Too  well  I  know  the  boding  sound 
That  ushers  in  a  bore. 
I  do  not  tremble  when  I  meet 
The  stoutest  of  my  foes  ; 
But  heaven  defend  me  from  the  friend 
Who  comes,  but  never  goes." 


2O  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


Peter  Monteith  and  wife,  of  Albany,  were  among 
the  regular  guests  of  the  Clarendon.  This  typical 
old-time  merchant  was  born,  reared,  and  educated 
in  the  Capital  City.  He  was  a  splendid  gentleman, 
his  face  betokening  not  only  benevolence  but  all 
those  generous  impulses  of  the  heart  which  made 
him  so  loved  and  respected.  His  name  could  always 
be  relied  upon  in  aid  of  every  good  enterprise,  to 
the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  which  he  con- 
tributed with  lavish  and  willing  hand.  Mr.  Mon- 
teith's  three  daughters,  as  well  as  his  estimable 
wife,  always  graced  his  annual  coming  to  the  Springs. 

There  are  many,  many  others  whom  I  should  like 
to  name,  with  favorable  comment,  whose  faces  pass 
before  me  when  I  look  back  at  the  famous  old  Clar- 
endon. How  could  I  forget  James  W.  Gerard,  the 
great  lawyer  and  wit  of  New  York ;  or  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  H.  M.  Ruggles,  with  their  handsome  daughter, 
the  present  Mrs.  J.  Searle  Barclay,  and  their  quiet 
but  splendid  cottage  life  ?  And  then  all  the  follow- 
ing names  crowd  upon  my  mind  : 

Mr.  William  Butler  Duncan,  Judge  Henry  E. 
Davies,  Rufus  Story,  Adam  Norrie  and  Mrs.  Nor- 
rie,  Edward  Matthews  and  family,  all  of  New  York 
City  ;  Dr.  Duncan  and  family  of  Mississippi  ;  Mrs. 
Taylor  and  her  son,  Commander  Taylor,  and  Mrs. 
T.  D.  McGuire,  all  of  Washington,  D.  C. ;  Hon. 
Francis  Granger,  Mr.  Benjamin  Nathan,  and  Mr. 
Ezra  White  and  family,  all  of  New  York  City ;  Gen- 
eral Ambrose  E.  Burnside  of  Providence,  R.  I.,  and 
John  Carter  Brown,  of  the  same  city,  who  was  re- 
lated to  the  founder  of  Brown  University  ;  Peter 


At  the  Famous  Old  Clarendon.  21 


Harvey  of  Boston,  Addison  Cammack,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Lewis  of  Brooklyn,  and  Mrs.  Hicks,  now  Mrs.  Lord, 
a  famous  horseback  rider,  always  attended  by  a 
groom  ;  Robert  L.  Stuart,  and  Mrs.  Stuart,  and  Al- 
exander Stuart,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  O.  D.  Munn,  accompa- 
nied by  their  two  sons,  August  Belmont,  John  R. 
Marshall,  Simon  De  Vissar  and  family,  Mr.  Von 
Stade  and  family,  Marshall  O.  Roberts  and  wife, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Geo.  Washington  Pell,  with  their  son 
Duane,  Mr.  Rokanbaugh  and  family,  with  the  present 
Mrs.  Davies,  their  daughter,  Sidney  Mason  and  Mrs. 
Mason,  all  of  New  York  City  ;  Hamilton  Harris  and 
family  of  Albany,  and  Daniel  Lathrop  and  family, 
and  Peter  Monteith  and  family,  of  the  same  city ; 
Jay  Gould  and  family,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Salem  H.  Wales, 
Hon.  Charles  and  Mrs.  O'Connor,  all  of  New  York 
City. 

Way  back  in  the  sixties,  Mr.  August  Belmont — 
what  a  flood  of  memories  that  name  recalls — liked 
to  run  up  to  Saratoga  from  New  York,  and  register 
at  the  Clarendon.  He  drove  four-in-hand,  at  that 
time,  in  Saratoga ;  so  did  Mr.  Travers,  also  Edward 
Matthews,  Esq.  Simeon  Leland,  proprietor  of  the 
Metropolitan  Hotel,  New  York  City,  stopped  with 
his  nephew  at  the  famous  Clarendon,  and  he,  too, 
drove  four  horses.  It  was  remarked  at  the  time 
that  he  was  the  first  hotel  proprietor  ever  to  appear 
on  the  streets  of  that  village  holding  the  ribbons 
over  the  backs  of  four  high-steppers. 

But  to  return  to  Mr.  Belmont.  He  was  a  great 
business  man,  a  banker,  and  a  financier  of  marked 
ability  and  of  conspicuous  success  throughout  his 


22  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


entire  career;  among  the  eminent  bankers  of  his 
day  and  time  he  was  regarded  in  many  respects  as  a 
balance  wheel.  He  embodied  all  the  virtues,  as  well 
as  the  graces,  of  mankind.  He  had  a  brusque,  gruff, 
crisp  manner  of  speech,  but  his  ear  bended  to  every 
tale  of  woe,  and  his  heart  and  purse  responded  to 
every  story  of  real  distress.  He  was  a  lovable  man ; 
his  courtesy  was  the  courtesy  of  the  heart.  Among 
his  business  associates  he  was  at  all  times  strictly 
business,  and  they  learned  but  one  side  of  his  char- 
acter. Among  his  friends  he  was  altogether  dif- 
ferent. 

As  a  friend  to  the  turf  Mr.  Belmont  never  soiled 
his  hands  with  trickery  or  insincerity.  He  is  one  of 
those  that  have  made  racing  famous  in  the  com- 
munity. 

Mr.  Robert  Bonner  came  to  the  Clarendon  Hotel 
at  Saratoga  in  the  seventies,  and  it  was  then  that  I 
first  saw  him  and  had  frequent  talks  with  the  gentle- 
man. All  my  memories  of  the  Ledger  were  so 
pleasant  I  was  very  glad  to  meet  its  genial  pro- 
prietor. I  may  be  pardoned  for  giving  here  my 
estimate  of  him  as  he  appeared  to  me.  There  was 
the  charm  of  personality  about  him,  and  in  nameless 
ways  he  conveyed  the  impression  of  a  nature  full  of 
noble  sentiments  and  generous  impulses,  kind  and 
self-forgetting,  without  one  flaw  of  meanness  in  his 
character.  Mr.  Robert  Bonner  is  as  approachable 
as  it  is  possible  to  be.  His  door  is  ever  open,  and 
his  head  is  fed  by  blood  which  runs  through  his 
heart ;  everybody  is  his  friend. 

His  name  should  be  recalled  and  respected  when- 


At  the  Fatuous  Old  Clarendon.  23 


ever  the  New  York  Ledger  is  recurred  to.  His  in- 
fluence is  a  legacy  of  which  it  has  a  right  to  be 
proud.  The  Ledger  itself  was  a  result  he  loved  and 
a  trust  which  he  cherished,  and  I  take  the  utmost 
pleasure  in  giving  space  to  the  following  which  ap- 
peared in  one  of  our  local  sheets  at  the  time  he 
retired  from  active  life : 

"  The  withdrawal  of  Mr.  Robert  Bonner  from  the 
active  management  of  the  New  York  Ledger,  which  he 
made  such  a  phenomenal  and  abiding  success,  is  an 
event  that  naturally  excites  a  great  deal  of  newspaper 
comment.  And  it  must  be  gratifying  to  Mr.  Bonner  to 
find  that  the  newspaper  reviews  of  his  remarkably  suc- 
cessful career  are  all  so  cordial  and  kindly  in  their 
appreciation.  He  should  live  many  years  yet,  and  he  is 
enjoying  in  the  fulness  of  his  powers  the  compliments 
that  few  men  get,  even  after  they  are  dead,  and  when 
they  no  longer  care  for  human  praise  or  censure. 

"  The  truth  is  that  Mr.  Bonner  not  only  gets,  but  de- 
serves, these  recognitions  in  his  lifetime,  because  his 
successes  have  been  won  by  open,  frank,  and  manly 
methods,  and  because  he  has  been  a  great  public  bene- 
factor by  furnishing  to  large  classes  of  readers,  who  had 
been  more  or  less  demoralized  by  '  cheap  and  nasty  '  or 
low  and  sensational  fiction,  the  pure  and  wholesome 
stories  and  biographies  of  the  Ledger. 

"  The  newspaper  and  business  men  of  the  country  owe 
to  Mr.  Bonner  a  lasting  debt  of  gratitude  for  his  bold- 
ness and  originality  in  advertising.  He  used  to  startle 
everybody  by  occupying  a  whole  page  in  the  Tribune, 
or  Herald,  or  Times,  by  one  of  his  advertisements  of  the 
Ledger,  regardless  of  the  cost  of  such  display.  He 
showed  that  this  form  of  apparent  extravagance  was  real 


24  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

economy.  It  arrested  attention  and  made  people  talk 
and  ask  questions  and  buy  the  Ledger,  which  was  always 
good  enough  to  stand  the  scrutiny. 

"  So,  too,  Mr.  Bonner's  genius  was  shown  in  the  ap- 
parently reckless  liberality  he  displayed  in  bidding  for 
the  rarest  specimens  of  the  American  trotting  horse. 
But  there  was  'method  in  his  madness.'  He  raised  the 
value  and  the  speed  and  improved  the  condition,  of  the 
American  trotting  horse,  by  his  liberal  purchases,  kind 
treatment,  frequent  exhibitions,  and  skill  in  training  and 
driving. 

"  Mr.  Robert  Bonner,  the  man  and  citizen,  has  always 
enjoyed  the  respect  and  good  will  of  his  fellows.  There 
has  been  no  more  liberal  or  less  ostentatious  giver  to 
religious,  educational,  or  charitable  objects.  In  the 
prime  of  physical,  mental,  and  moral  vigor,  he  should 
long  enjoy  the  release  from  business  cares  and  details 
which  he  has  so  fully  earned." 

I  have  reserved  for  special  mention  and  comment 
the  name  of  that  distinguished  philanthropist,  W. 
W.  Corcoran  of  Washington,  D.  C. ;  and  how  well 
he  deserves  praise  from  every  citizen  of  the  Repub- 
lic !  His  long  life  was  so  bound  up  with  the  life  of 
Washington  that  he  knew  every  President,  from  the 
father  of  his  country  down  to  the  time  of  his  recent 
death.  The  Corcoran  Art  Gallery  which  he  endowed 
with  $2,000,000,  has  given  American  art  a  firm  estab- 
lishment at  the  Capital  of  the  nation,  while  his 
monument  to  the  author  of  "  Home,  Sweet  Home  !  " 
and  the  thoughtful  generosity  by  which  John  How- 
ard Payne  finally  sleeps  in  American  soil,  shows  that 
Mr.  Corcoran  was  as  gentle  and  considerate  as  he 


COMMODORE    VANDERBILT. 


At  the  Famous  Old  Clarendon.  25 

was  cultivated.  In  response  to  the  question  of  a 
friend  as  to  whether  he  felt  compensated  for  the  gift 
of  these  immense  sums  he  made  this  noble  reply : 

"  I  do.  The  pleasure  I  have  had  in  doing  good  with 
my  money,  is  greater  than  that  which  could  have  arisen 
from  any  sum,  however  great.  My  feeling  in  this  re- 
gard," he  added,  "  reminds  me  of  the  epitaph  on  the 
tomb  of  Edward  Courteney,  the  Earl  of  Devonshire  : 

"  '  What  I  gave  I  have  ; 
What  I  spent  I  had  ; 
What  I  left  I  lost.'  " 

In  writing  to  his  grandchildren,  and  speaking  of 
what  he  termed  a  grandfather's  legacy,  he  concluded 
thus: 

"  The  most  valuable  bequest  I  can  make  you  is  a  good 
name,  and  I  feel  assured  you  will  keep  it  ;  for  its  price 
is  above  rubies." 

Mr.  Corcoran  was  a  Southerner  to  his  heart's  core, 
and  although  the  son  of  an  Irishman,  he  never  forgot 
the  people  who  had  raised  him  from  poverty  to  afflu- 
ence. The  impoverished  widows  and  daughters  of 
the  South  were  his  most  chivalrous  care.  The  splen- 
did home  which  he  reared  in  Washington  as  a  me- 
morial to  his  wife  will  keep  his  memory  green  at 
every  hearth-stone.  Wealth  in  such  hands  is  a  posi- 
tive blessing.  How  well  I  remember  a  little  group 
at  the  Clarendon  years  ago,  when  Commodore  Van- 
derbilt,  John  W.  Garrett,  and  Mr.  Corcoran  sat  down 
together.  And  the  proximity  of  the  railroad  mag- 


26  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

nates  and  the  philanthropist  suggesting  a  picture  to 
be  called,  How  to  wake  money  and  how  to  iise  it,  re- 
minds one  of  the  apt  words  of  Pope: 

"  Wealth  in  the  gross  is  death  ;  but  life  diffused  ; 
As  poison  heals,  in  just  proportion  used  ; 
In  heaps,  like  ambergris,  a  stink  it  lies, 
But,  well  dispersed,  is  incense  to  the  skies." 

In  closing  this  recollection  of  my  stay  at  the  old 
Clarendon,  I  may  be  pardoned  for  reproducing  the 
kind  words  of  the  Albany  Express,  with  its  quotation 
from  the  New  York  Mail: 

"  The  postman  at  the  Clarendon  Hotel,  Saratoga 
Springs,  is  Joseph  Smith,  of  Madison  Avenue,  this  city. 
He  has  held  the  position  several  years,  and  won  golden 
opinions  by  his  attentive  and  gentlemanly  conduct. 
This  we  know,  and  we  are  pleased  to  give  space  to  the 
following  from  the  pen  of  '  Sophie  Sparkle,'  corre- 
spondent of  the  New  York  Mail : 

'  The  postman  goes  around  among  the  guests  to  de- 
liver the  morning  letters.  He  comes  out  on  the  piazza 
with  his  hands  full  of  packages,  and  is  immediately  the 
centre  of  a  pretty  circle.  The  ladies  gather  around  him 
with  eagerness,  the  children  clamor  out  for  letters,  the 
belles  stand  anxiously  awaiting  their  love  missives  ;  and 
as  the  postman  is  a  good-natured  individual,  he  has 
generally  a  letter  for  everybody.  The  postman  is  Mr. 
Joseph  Smith,  who  has  been  at  the  Clarendon  for  many 
years.  He  knows  every  face  among  the  guests,  and  he 
duly  appreciates  the  importance  of  his  position.  Long 
may  he  live  to  be  the  bearer  of  good  tidings  to  his  visit- 
ors at  Saratoga.  Mr.  Smith  certainly  deserves  special 


At  the  Famous  Old  Clarendon. 


notice,  since  a  few  days  ago  he  picked  up  a  parcel  in 
the  street  containing  papers  of  value  and  $250  in  money. 
He  sought  out  the  o\vner,  who  was  Mr.  Rufus  Story,  and 
returned  the  package  to  him.  Surely  our  letters  are  all 
safe  in  the  hands  of  such  an  honest  man,  which  is  more 
than  can.  be  said  of  all  post-office  officials.' " 


CHAPTER  II. 


BEYOND  THE  SEA. 

I  SAILED  for  England  November  14,  1876,  by 
the  steamship  Wyoming.     We  had  a  jolly  and 
congenial  company  of  passengers,  and  even  the 
sea  was  so  friendly  as  to  make  one  think  of  Bayard 
Taylor's  tribute : 

"  The  sea  is  a  jovial  comrade, 

He  laughs  wherever  he  goes  ; 
His  merriment  shines  in  the  dimpling  lines 

That  wrinkle  his  hale  repose  ; 
He  lays  himself  down  at  the  feet  of  the  sun, 

And  shakes  all  over  with  glee, 
And  the  broad-backed  billows  fall  faint  on  the  shore 

In  the  mirth  of  the  mighty  sea." 

One  young  man,  Mr.  J.  Ronald  Price,  was  on  his 
way  to  Ireland,  where  he  was  to  attend  Carlow  Col- 
lege, County  Carlow,  to  complete  his  studies  for  the 
priesthood.  When  he  came  to  say  good-bye  to  me, 
at  Queenstown,  he  took  from  his  pocket  a  common 
visiting  card,  and  under  the  dim  light  of  a  lantern 

28 


Beyond  tlie  Sea.  29 

which  struggled  hard  to  light  the  companion-way, 
at  the  hour  of  midnight,  he  wrote  these  cherished 
words : 

"  *T  is  sad  to  part  ;  it  rends  the  heart ; 

'T  is  sad,  't  is  sad  to  sever  ! 
Yet  it  is  bliss  to  know  but  this, 
We  do  not  part  forever." 

Another  person  I  must  not  omit  to  mention  was 
the  ship's  physician,  who,  knowing  that  I  was  a 
stranger  in  England,  very  kindly  gave  me  two  letters 
of  introduction  to  a  friend  in  Birmingham,  and  also 
outlined  my  trip  to  London. 

One  letter,  addressed  to  Mr.  Robert  Rae,  337 
Strand,  London,  W.  C.,  reads  as  follows : 

"  Returning  from  America  in  the  Wyoming,  I  had  the 
good  fortune  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  the  esteemed 
bearer  of  this  note,  Mr.  Joseph  Smith,  of  Albany,  N.  Y. 
I  am  certain  that  you  will  add  to  many  past  favors  to 
me  another,  and  give  Mr.  Smith  any  assistance  in  your 
power,  and  put  him  in  the  way  of  finding  out  how  to 
see  some  of  the  sights  of  London.  You  will  find  Mr. 
Smith  a  pleasant  companion,  and  a  well-informed,  liberal 
man." 

The  other  letter,  addressed  to  Mr.  Thomas  Hen- 
ries, a  shoe  manufacturer  of  Birmingham,  ran  in  this 
way: 

"  The  bearer  of  this  note,  Mr.  Joseph  Smith,  is  an 
American  gentleman  visiting  England  for  instruction 
and  amusement.  I  feel  sure  that  I  can  count  on  your 


30  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

giving  him  information  about  the  state  of  society,  trade, 
and  politics  in  Birmingham,  and  am  sure  that  Mr.  Smith 
will  be  able  to  give  you  some  graphic  descriptions  of 
America  and  its  institutions." 


Both  letters  were  in  the  delicate,  beautiful  pen- 
manship and  bore  the  signature  of  Alfred  J.  H. 
Crespi.  The  memorandum  of  which  I  have  spoken, 
and  which  may  be  as  helpful  to  others  on  such  a 
journey  as  it  certainly  was  to  me,  suggested  that, 
"after  leaving  Liverpool,"  I  should  "visit  Chester; 
stay  there  two  or  three  days ;  then  go  on  to  War- 
wick or  Leamington  and  Kenilworth,  Coventry  and 
Stratford ;  then  stop  at  Oxford  a  few  hours  on  the 
way  to  London." 

After  landing  the  mails,  we  proceeded  on  our  way 
to  Liverpool,  and  on  my  arrival  in  that  city,  I  re- 
paired to  the  Lime  Street  station  to  purchase  a 
ticket  for  the  old  city  of  Chester.  There  were  many 
persons  ahead  of  me  at  the  ticket-office,  awaiting 
their  turn  in  a  long,  conventional  line  ;  but  I  thought- 
lessly went  straight  up  to  the  window.  Seeing  my 
mistake,  however,  I  at  once  took  my  place  at  the 
foot  of  the  line,  and  from  that  position  observed  a 
soldier  enter  the  station  and  make  the  same  blunder 
that  I  had  made.  I  beckoned  to  him  to  get  behind 
me  quickly  before  his  turn  was  gone,  which  he  did, 
after  some  hesitation.  But  when  the  incident  had 
passed,  and  the  porter  had  taken  my  luggage  to  the 
train,  and  as  I  was  about  to  take  my  place  in  the 
compartment,  some  one  accosted  me.  On  turning 
round,  whom  should  I  find  but  the  soldier  I  had  met 


Beyond  the  Sea.  3 1 


in  the  station,  and  who  proved  to  be  a  member  of 
the  regiment  known  as  the  Fourth  "  Prince  of 
Wales'  Own."  He  at  once  informed  me  that  some 
one  in  the  station  had  reported  me  as  saying: 
"  Englishmen  must  get  behind  Americans." 

I  was  astounded  at  the  misrepresentation,  and  at 
the  soldier's  evident  misunderstanding  of  my  kind- 
ness in  the  depot.  I  was  able,  however,  to  satisfy 
the  gallant  Briton,  on  our  way  to  Chester,  where  we 
were  finally  separated. 

Chester  is  picturesquely  situated  on  the  banks  of 
the  river  Dee,  on  a  rocky  elevation,  in  the  midst 
of  a  fertile  country ;  and  all  writers  are  agreed  that 
it  is  a  place  of  great  antiquity.  And  Chester  is 
excellently  located  as  a  starting-place  for  many 
interesting  and  delightful  excursions,  the  railway 
conveniences  making  many  points  of  interest  easily 
accessible. 

On  leaving  Liverpool,  I  met  a  gentleman  of  that 
city,  Mr.  Palin,  who  sat  next  to  me  in  the  cars.  On 
learning,  or  rather  seeing  that  I  was  an  American— 
for  here  they  can  very  soon  tell  that  you  are  an 
American— he  at  once  told  me  that  he  would  set 
me  right  on  our  arrival  in  Chester.  A  gentlemanly- 
looking  man  of  about  sixty  years;  a  coat  cut  after 
the  style  of  Washington,  and  knee-breeches  with 
sheep-skin  leggins;  a  stove-pipe  hat — that  completed 
the  outer  appearance  of  Mr.  Palin.  He  was  a  cattle 
merchant,  by  occupation.  He  took  me  at  once  to 
the  Bowling  Green  Inn  and  deposited  my  luggage 
with  the  Mistress,  Mrs.  Booth.  I  then  took  my 
departure  with  this  genial  companion  for  the  old 


32  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

Cathedral,  built  in  the  eleventh  century,  and  to  see 
the  walls  of  the  city  also  eight  hundred  years  old. 
The  stone  and  mortar  are  in  such  good  condition 
that  one  might  suppose  these  walls  to  be  as  recent 
as  fifty  years  ago.  We  went  also  to  the  Derby  Man- 
sion, whence  Lord  Derby  was  taken  to  Bolton  and 
to  execution  in  1591  ;  and  I  did  not  fail  to  look  up 
into  the  old  loft  where  the  unfortunate  nobleman 
lay  hid  for  sixteen  weeks. 

The  history  of  Chester,  let  my  readers  remember, 
dates  back  to  very  early  times.  It  was  probably 
built  by  the  Romans,  and  recent  excavations  have 
brought  to  light  an  altar  with  a  Greek  inscription, 
dedicated  by  Hermogenes,  a  physician  ;  but  perhaps 
the  most  remarkable  discovery  from  the  ancient  town 
is  that  of  a  splendid  basilica,  having  a  row  of  seven 
Corinthian  columns  on  either  side,  and  enclosing  all 
the  indications  of  a  fine  palace  representing  at  once 
Grecian  art  and  Roman  dominion.  After  the  de- 
parture of  the  Romans,  Chester  appears  to  have 
been  possessed  in  turn  by  Britons,  Saxons,  and 
Danes,  until  it  finally  went  along  with  the  fortunes 
of  the  Kingdom  in  the  train  of  the  Conqueror. 
Chester  is  the  only  city  in  England  which  still  re- 
tains its  walls  in  their  entire  circuit  of  two  miles. 
The  gateways  have  all  been  rebuilt  within  the  last 
hundred  years,  two  of  them  at  least  being  on  the 
site  of  the  old  Roman  gates.  The  Grosvenor  Bridge, 
a  single  span  of  stone  two  hundred  feet  in  length, 
the  longest  in  Europe  except  one  over  the  Danube, 
carries  the  road  to  Wrexham  and  Shrewsbury  over 
the  Dee  on  the  southwest. 


HENRY  CLEWS. 


Beyond  the  Sea.  33 


Among  the  ancient  churches  of  Chester  is  St.  Os- 
wald, founded  in  1093  ;  St.  Peter's,  founded  before 
the  Conquest ;  St.  Michael's,  founded  about  1 1 18  ;  St. 
Mary's,  founded  in  the  twelfth  century ;  and  several 
others,  including,  as  the  most  important  of  all  Non- 
conformist chapels,  that  built  by  the  followers  of 
Matthew  Henry. 

From  the  walls  of  Chester,  the  spot  being  marked 
by  a  tower,  Charles  I.  stood,  September  24,  1645,  and 
saw  his  army  defeated  in  the  decisive  battle  of 
Rowton  Heath. 

Among  the  places  of  note  I  saw  an  old  dwelling 
which  escaped  the  plague  of  three  centuries  ago,  and 
on  the  steel  plate  on  the  door  is  inscribed :  "  God's 
Providence  is  Mine  Inheritance."  I  then  accom- 
panied my  friend  to  the  Stock  and  Cattle  Yards, 
where  an  auction  sale  of  cattle  and  swine  takes 
place  every  Tuesday.  Mr.  Palm  introduced  me  to 
a  number  of  friends,  and  what  large,  burly  English- 
men they  were  !  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson,  on  seeing 
such  stalwart  beings,  would  perhaps  exclaim  :  "  What 
quantity !  " 

Amongst  others  I  was  kindly  introduced  to  Mr. 
Shepherd,  a  thorough  Scotchman,  the  bailiff  of  the 
present  Duke  of  Westminster,  who  at  once  extended 
me  an  invitation  to  visit  him  at  Eaton  Hall,  the 
date  being  fixed  at  Wednesday,  November  29,  1876. 
I  can  assure  you  that  was  a  white  day  in  my  life.  I 
can  go  to  Westminster  Abbey,  where  the  great  and 
noble  are  buried,  I  can  see  Henry  VII. 's  Chapel 
there,  where  the  kings  arc  buried,  I  can  go  to  West- 
minster Hall,  where  Warren  Hastings  was  tried  and 


34  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

where  Charles  the  First  was  condemned  to  death. 
And  these  places  I  expect  to  see.  But  a  visit  to 
Eaton  Hall,  the  residence  of  the  richest  man  in 
England,  his  Grace  the  Duke  of  Westminster,  was  a 
treat  indeed,  admittance  to  those  exclusive  precincts 
being  of  rare  occurrence. 

My  friend  Mr.  Palin  came  up  from  Liverpool,  and 
I  met  him  promptly  at  the  station  at  9  A.M.,  where 
we  took  the  train  for  Waverton ;  and  there  we  were 
met  by  Mr.  Whittes,  one  of  the  tenants  of  the  Duke, 
who  drove  us  to  Eaton  Hall,  distant  four  miles. 
After  entering  the  lodge  gate  we  drove  four  miles 
more  to  the  bailiff's  residence  within  the  enclosure. 
That  functionary  gave  us  a  hearty  welcome,  indeed, 
taking  each  by  the  hand,  and  then  commenced  at 
once  to  show  us  the  points  of  interest  about  the 
place.  After  an  hour's  sight-seeing,  we  were  taken 
into  the  house,  introduced  to  the  family,  feasted 
with  true  English  hospitality  and  then  taken  forth 
for  another  excursion.  It  would  be  impossible  to 
relate  all  my  experiences  and  observations  in  this 
beautiful  place;  but  as  we  bade  these  friends  good- 
bye and  went  forth  through  the  arched  gate,  I  felt 
that  one  of  the  dreams  of  my  life  had  been  realized. 

And  before  leaving  the  pleasant  associations  of 
Eaton  Hall,  I  will  tell  my  readers  something  about 
the  noble  family  who  own  the  princely  mansion. 
The  ancestral  Grosvenor  was  in  the  suite  of  William 
the  Conqueror  when  he  left  Normandy,  and  held 
office  in  the  household  of  William  after  he  became 
king.  He  was  also  related  to  the  Conqueror,  being 
a  nephew  of  Hugh  Lupers,  the  first  Earl  of  Chester, 


Beyond  the  Sea.  35 


whose  mother  was  King  William's  sister.  An  ances- 
tor of  this  Grosvenor  was  uncle  of  Rollo,  the  cele- 
brated Dane,  successively  knight,  baronet,  viscount, 
earl,  marquis,  and  duke.  The  representatives  of  this 
family  have  reached  the  highest  rank  and  honor,  and 
to-day  the  Duke  of  Westminster  is  the  richest  peer 
in  the  realm. 

I  left  Chester  on  a  Friday  morning  for  London 
by  way  of  Stratford-upon-Avon,  the  birthplace,  the 
home,  and  the  burial-place  of  the  great  bard  of  all 
time.  Passing  some  places  of  minor  importance,  we 
arrived  at  Hatton,  a  place  some  nine  miles  from 
Stratford,  where  I  had  to  change  for  my  destination. 
After  taking  my  dinner  at  an  inn,  I  immediately 
went  to  the  house  where  Shakespeare  was  born. 
Appearing  at  the  entrance,  I  was  met  at  the  quaint 
old  door  by  an  elderly  English  matron  wearing  a 
white  cap  trimmed  with  red.  The  first  room  into 
which  I  was  ushered  was  the  poet's  best  room,  made 
comfortable  in  appearance  by  a  large  fireplace  in 
front  of  which  the  famous  bard  used  to  smoke  his 
pipe  and  tell  his  tales.  A  back  room  on  the  same 
floor  was  called  the  second  best,  also  adorned  by  a 
fireplace,  in  which  both  the  matron  and  I  could 
stand  erect,  and  side  by  side.  Ascending  one  flight' 
of  stairs  we  entered  the  room  in  which  William 
Shakespeare  first  saw  the  light.  "  Indeed,  sir," 
exclaimed  the  matron,  "  you  are  now  on  classic 
ground ! " 

Going  next  to  the  museum,  we  saw,  among  other 
curiosities,  his  old  oaken  arm-chair,  in  which  she 
insisted  that  I  should  sit  down,  "  just  to  have  it  to 


36  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

say."  The  original  copy  of  a  letter  to  Shakespeare, 
from  Richard  Ouyney,  requesting  the  loan  of  thirty 
pounds  sterling,  and  bearing  date  October  25,  1598, 
was  also  shown  here.  More  important,  however, 
than  the  old  chair,  although  it  is  the  same  one  in 
which  he  used  to  seat  his  friends  at  the  old  Falcon 
Inn,  more  important  than  the  autograph  letter  is  the 
copy  of  the  Merchant  of  Venice,  the  first  work  of  the 
great  author ;  and  as  a  worthy  companion  piece  to 
this  work  there  appears  upon  the  wall,  neatly  framed, 
an  autograph  letter  written  on  the  spot  by  our 
famous  countryman,  Washington  Irving,  the  letter 
being  dated  1826. 

But  before  leaving  the  birthplace  of  the  great 
bard  for  Stratford  Church  let  me  relate  as  a  pleasant 
episode  that  the  mistress  of  the  old  homestead  went 
into  the  garden  and  plucked  for  me  a  few  sprigs  of 
rue,  of  rosemary,  and  of  wild  thyme,  and  making 
three  incisions  in  a  bit  of  paper,  placed  them  in  and 
handed  them  to  me  as  a  souvenir.  I  still  have  them 
in  my  possession,  and  the  fragrance  has  not  entirely 
departed  from  them,  although  it  was  nineteen  years 
ago. 

I  now  wended  my  way  to  the  old  Stratford  Church, 
and  was  soon  crossing  the  river  Avon,  and  a  moment 
later  found  myself  at  the  door  which  soon  opened  to 
me.  The  tower  of  the  historical  old  church  dates 
back  to  the  eleventh  century.  In  a  few  minutes  I 
stood  by  the  chancel,  where  all  that  is  mortal  of 
William  Shakespeare,  as  well  as  the  remains  of  his 
wife,  daughter,  and  son-in-law,  lies  buried.  Above 
the  burial-place,  in  a  niche  in  the  wall,  is  a  bust  of 


Beyond  the  Sea.  37 


the  great  poet,  placed  there  soon  after  his  death. 
The  following  lines  are  lettered  in  cloth,  and  placed 
on  the  stone  slab  that  marks  his  remains : 

"  Good  friend,  for  Jesus'  sake  forbear 
To  dig  the  dust  enclosed  here  ; 
Blessed  be  he  that  spares  these  stones, 
And  curst  be  he  that  moves  my  bones." 

It  is  now  late  in  the  afternoon,  and  I  am  booked 
for  London  this  very  evening.  I  take  journey, 
therefore,  by  way  of  Leamington,  Warwick,  and 
Oxford,  passing  by  Windsor  Castle,  which  was  quite 
brilliantly  illuminated,  the  Queen  being  at  home. 

I  arrived  at  Paddington  station  at  11.30  P.M.  and 
the  next  morning  secured  very  pleasant  lodgings  in 
Pimlico,  on  Berwick  Street,  S.W.  After  breakfast  I 
went  directly  to  Westminster  Abbey.  Walking  first 
of  all  through  the  Abbey  Church,  I  repaired  to  the 
Poets'  corner,  wishing  to  see  where  Charles  Dickens 
rested.  All  that  is  mortal  of  the  great  novelist  lies 
at  the  feet  of  Handel,  and  at  the  head  of  Sheridan, 
with  Richard  Cumberland  on  his  right  hand,  and 
Macaulay  on  his  left  hand.  The  grave  is  near  the 
foot  of  Addison's  statue,  and  Thackeray's  bust  looks 
calmly  down  upon  the  spot  where  his  old  friend  is 
sleeping.  Within  a  few  yards  of  the  hallowed  spot 
lie  Johnson  and  Garrick,  while  the  sculptured  forms 
of  Milton  and  Shakespeare  stand  near,  as  if  waiting 
for  their  companions  in  the  fame  and  glory  of  the 
world  to  rise  and  speak. 

The  names  of  the  several  chapels  are  in  order  as 
follows :  St.  Benedict,  St.  Edmund,  St.  Nicholas, 


38  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

Henry  VII. ,  St.  Paul,  Edward  the  Confessor,  St. 
John,  St.  Michael,  and  St.  Andrew. 

The  coronation  chair  is  here.  It  is  a  plain,  wooden 
chair,  but  if  the  associations  of  history  can  give  added 
value  to  a  piece  of  furniture,  this  is  the  most  valuable 
chair  on  the  earth ;  for  all  the  sovereigns  from 
Edward  the  First  have  been  crowned  in  it.  At  the 
time  of  the  coronation  the  chair  is  covered  with  gold 
tissue  and  placed  before  the  altar. 

It  was  early  morning  at  the  time  of  my  second 
visit  to  the  Abbey.  As  I  passed  through  one  of  the 
cloisters,  I  was  asked  by  a  lady  who  had  just  arrived 
in  town  from  Windsor,  if  I  could  direct  her  to  the 
tomb  of  Mary  Queen  of  Scots.  I  replied  that  I 
would  do  so  with  much  pleasure  ;  and. before  reach- 
ing the  place  she  said  :  "  I  have  discovered  that  you 
are  an  American."  And  then  she  added  that  Ameri- 
cans knew  more  about  how  to  get  around  London 
and  see  the  sights  than  the  English  people  them- 
selves. I  was  somewhat  amused  at  the  remark.  I 
pointed  out  the  tomb  of  Queen  Mary,  and  not  far 
from  it  that  of  her  conquering  rival,  Queen  Eliza- 
beth. 

I  was  very  fortunate  during  one  of  my  many  visits 
to  be  one  of  a  party  conducted  by  the  secretary  of 
the  famous  Dean  Stanley.  Of  course  every  nook 
and  corner  was  shown,  as  he  had  access  to  all  places 
and  distinct  knowledge  of  all  important  things.  He 
unlocked  the  door  of  the  chancel,  and  we  stood  upon 
the  mosaic  floor,  where  all  the  sovereigns  of  England 
are  crowned.  In  the  early  morning  of  that  same 
day,  her  Majesty  the  Queen,  the  Princess  of  Wales, 


Beyond  the  Sea.  39 


and  the  Princess  Beatrice  had,  with  their  own  hands, 
laid  pretty  wreaths  of  flowers,  with  cards  attached, 
on  the  grave  of  Emily  Augusta  Frederica,  fifth 
daughter  of  Bruce,  Earl  of  Elgin,  and  wife  of  Arthur 
Penrhyn  Stanley,  Dean  of  Westminster,  a  faithful 
servant  of  Queen  Victoria. 

The  famous  fathers  of  Methodism  also  rest  here, 
John  and  Charles  Wesley  ;  and  on  the  tomb  of  John 
Wesley  appears  these  lines  : 

"  The  best  of  all  is,  God  is  with  us. 
I  look  upon  all  the  world  as  my  parish. 
God  buries  his  workmen,  but  carries  on  his  work." 

A  little  monument  of  white  marble  stands  here  in 
honor  of  Dr.  Isaac  Watts. 

It  seems  to  me  appropriate  and  interesting  to  close 
this  chapter  with  some  account  of  this  famous  West- 
minster Abbey.  It  occupies  the  chapel  built  by 
Sebert,  in  honor  of  St.  Peter,  on  a  slightly  elevated 
spot  of  marshy  ground  bordering  the  Thames.  A 
church  of  greater  pretensions  was  erected  by  King 
Edward,  about  980  ;  but  this  church  being  partly 
demolished  by  the  Danes,  Edward  the  Confessor 
founded  within  the  precincts  of  his  palace  an  Abbey 
and  Church  in  the  Norman  style,  which  was  com- 
pleted in  1065.  The  rebuilding  of  the  church  was 
commenced  by  Henry  III.  in  1220,  and  was  practi- 
cally completed  by  Edward  I.,  although  improve- 
ments were  added  down  to  the  time  of  Henry  VII., 
while  the  two  towers  at  the  west  end  were  erected 
by  the  great  Sir  Christopher  Wren. 


CHAPTER    III. 
LONDON  AND   PARIS. 

"  A  mighty  mass  of  brick  and  smoke  and  shipping 
Dirty  and  dusky,  and  as  wide  as  eye 
Could  reach,  with  here  and  there  a  sail  just  skipping 
In  sight,  then  lost  amidst  the  forestry 
Of  masts  ;  a  wilderness  of  steeples  peeping 
On  tiptoe  through  their  sea-coal  canopy  ; 
A  huge  dun  cupola,  like  a  foolscap  crown 
On  a  fool's  head, — and  there  is  London  town." 

SO  writes  the  gifted  Byron  of  the  world's  me- 
tropolis. But  if  you  wish  to  know  historical 
London,  the  London  which  brings  its  past  face 
to  face  with  the  present,  you  must  not  forget  the 
Tower.  On  visiting  that  old  landmark  I  paid  one 
shilling  and  saw  the  traitor's  gate  through  which 
Anne  Boleyn  and  Lady  Jane  Seymour  walked  ;  saw 
the  identical  armor  worn  by  Henry  VIII. ;  saw  the 
armor  presented  by  Parliament  to  Charles  I. ;  was 
shown  the  thumb-screw  and  execution  block  which 
had  known  so  many  distinguished  victims ;  went 
into  the  cell  where  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  was  confined 
for  twelve  years. 

40 


WILLIAM   H.   VANDERBILT. 


London  and  Paris.  41 


The  old  banqueting  hall  and  council  chamber,  con- 
taining 65,000  stand  of  arms,  and  the  very  spot  where 
Anne  Boleyn,  Jane  Seymour,  and  Catherine  Howard 
were  beheaded,  were  the  next  sombre  points  of 
interest.  Then  I  was  led  into  a  dismal  room  called 
the  state  prison,  where  we  saw  the  inscriptions  of 
various  distinguished  prisoners  cut  in  the  solid  wall ; 
that  of  Lady  Jane  Grey,  said  to  have  been  done  by 
her  own  hand,  being  plainly  visible. 

Last  of  all,  we  were  permitted  to  see  the  room 
containing  the  crown-jewels  of  the  empire,  including 
those  of  Anne  Boleyn  and  the  Prince  of  Wales.  We 
also  saw  the  golden  font  used  at  the  baptism  of  the 
Prince,  together  with  the  sword  of  state  carried  be- 
fore the  Queen  when  she  opens  and  closes  Parlia- 
ment. 

In  the  South  Kensington  Museum  I  was  especially 
attracted  by  a  marble  statue  of  a  young  girl  thread- 
ing a  needle,  the  statue  being  suggested  by  Hood's 
famous  poem  ;  and  under  the  statue  was  this  inscrip- 
tion : 

"  O  God,  that  bread  should  be  so  dear 
And  flesh  and  blood  so  cheap." 

Wishing  to  visit  the  Royal  stables,  I  received,  on 
application,  the  following  card  : 

"  GRATIS. 

"  Master  of  the  Horses'  Office, 

"  Royal  Mews,  Pimlico. 

"Admit  Joseph  Smith  and  party  of  five  to  view  the 
Queen's  stables. 

"  G.  A.  MAUDE, 

"  Crown  Equerry." 


42  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


It  may  be  a  long  step  from  the  Queen's  stables  to 
the  House  of  Lords,  but  a  sight-seer  does  n't  pause 
to  study  contrasts ;  and  therefore  I  received  the  fol- 
lowing: 

"  LORD  GREAT  CHAMBERLAIN'S  OFFICE, 

"  HOUSE  OF  LORDS. 
"  PALACE  OF  WESTMINSTER. 

"  Admit  Mr.  Joseph  Smith  and  one  other  person  to 
view  the  palace. 

"  Available  only  on  the  day  of  issue. 

"  It  is  particularly  requested  that  no  payment  be  made 
to  any  person  in  respect  to  this  ticket. 

"  Entrance  at  the  Victoria  Tower." 

The  card  of  admission  to  the  House  of  Commons 
was  very  simple  in  form,  only  saying: 

"  Admit  to  the  Strangers'  Gallery — House  of  Com- 
mons. 

"April  30,  '77." 

But  while  it  was  simple  in  form,  the  admission  is 
very  hard  to  procure,  especially  while  the  Commons 
is  in  session,  as  it  was  on  the  day  of  my  visit. 

Of  course  I  went  to  Hyde  Park  and  saw  the  Albert 
Memorial.  The  dedicatory  inscription  just  above 
the  great  arches  runs  as  follows : 

"  Queen  Victoria  and  the  people  To  the  Memory  of 
Albert  Consort,  as  a  tribute  of  their  gratitude  for  a  life 
devoted  to  the  public  good." 

I  took  the  underground  railway  to  the  Bank  of 
England  to  get  a  ten-pound  note  changed  into  gold 


London  and  Paris.  43 


sovereigns.  The  Bank  of  England,  mind  you,  never 
reissues  a  note.  Every  bill  passed  over  its  counter 
into  circulation  is  crisp  and  new,  totally  free  from 
bacteria,  bacilli,  microbes,  or  any  other  disease  germs. 
A  London  newspaper  states  that  even  if  a  customer 
should  draw  a  check,  receiving  these  new  bills,  and 
then  decide  that  he  preferred  coin,  the  man  in  charge 
of  this  department  would  take  the  notes,  tear  a  cor- 
ner from  each  and  pass  over  the  gold.  The  bills  are 
then  burned,  without  ceremony,  and  duplicates  are 
issued.  Some  of  American  notes  take  on  an  alarm- 
ingly unhealthy  look  before  they  find  their  way  to 
the  furnace ;  look  as  if  they  might  conceal  all  the 
contagions  of  the  valley  of  the  Ganges  ;  and  we 
might  do  well  to  follow  the  example  of  the  Bank  of 
England  in  this  respect. 

I  went  to  Croydon  to  visit  a  friend  whom  I  had 
met  on  the  steamer,  a  Mr.  McQueen,  whose  home 
was  with  a  family  named  Campbell,  Cairnsmore 
House,  London  Road,  West  Croydon.  Mr.  Mc- 
Queen being  absent  in  Scotland,  I  expected  to  turn 
back  and  await  another  opportunity.  But  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Joseph  Campbell  welcomed  me  very  heartily 
and  insisted  that  I  should  remain  over  night  at  their 
fine  English  home.  Mr.  Campbell  and  wife  were 
both  Scotch,  and  descended  from  the  famous  family 
of  that  name ;  Mr.  Campbell  himself  a  merchant 
prince.  And  they  had  never  seen  me  before,  only 
having  heard  of  me  through  Mr.  McQueen.  But  on 
their  urgent  solicitation  I  remained  with  them  a  day 
and  a  night,  being  entertained  most  royally  by  them, 
and  then  returning  to  London  next  day.  Besides 


44  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Campbell,  the  family  consisted  of  a 
married  daughter,  Mrs.  John  Skimming,  wife  of  a 
sea-captain  whose  ship  plied  between  England  and 
India ;  the  Misses  Sarah  Anne  and  Esther  Margaret 
Campbell,  and  Master  Robert  Douglas.  I  brought 
to  America,  along  with  grateful  remembrances  of 
their  kindness  to  me,  photographs  of  the  daughters, 
and  of  little  Douglas  in  Scotch  kilts,  with  the  auto- 
graphs of  the  young  ladies. 

On  Thursday,  August  9,  1877,  I  went  to  St.  Paul's 
Cathedral,  and  had  the  pleasure  of  witnessing  the 
marriage  of  the  Lord  Mayor's  daughter,  Miss  Ada 
Louise  White,  to  Mr.  Cecil  Herbert  Thornton  Price. 
The  last  marriage  celebrated  in  the  Cathedral  before 
this  was  in  1758.  In  this  case  the  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury  was  assisted  by  the  Bishop  of  London, 
the  Bishop  of  Ely,  Canon  Liddon,  and  Dr.  Simpson. 

St.  Paul's  was  built  on  the  foundations  of  the 
temple  of  Diana  in  the  year  610;  was  burnt  964; 
was  rebuilt  in  1240;  totally  destroyed  by  fire  in  the 
great  conflagration  of  1666;  foundations  again  laid 
in  1675;  finished  in  1710;  cost  ten  million  pounds 
sterling,  about  forty-five  million  dollars. 

The  great  Wellington,  and  Nelson,  the  naval  hero, 
rest  here ;  and  beside  the  famous  warriors  lie  the 
remains  of  John  Howard,  whose  name  was  mentioned 
with  respectful  gratitude  from  the  throne  to  the 
dungeon. 

On  July  10,  1877,  I  went  to  Windsor,  where  the 
Queen  was  to  review  twenty  thousand  troops  from 
Aldershot.  People  were  only  admitted  by  ticket, 
but  the  inspector  of  police,  seeing  that  I  was  an 


London  and  Paris.  45 


American,  favored  me  with  permission  to  enter ;  and 
I  was  so  fortunate  as  to  be  stationed  only  about 
thirty  yards  from  the  flag-staff  where  the  Queen's 
carriage  stood  from  five  to  half-past  seven.  In  her 
Majesty's  coach  were  seated  Princess  Beatrice  and 
Princess  Christian,  while  the  Duke  of  Cambridge, 
every  inch  a  soldier,  rode  beside  them  on  horseback. 
And  the  famous  personal  servant  of  Victoria,  John 
Brown,  was  seated  behind  with  a  groom  unknown 
to  fame.  The  state  band  of  one  hundred  pieces, 
mounted  on  gold-laced  horses,  furnished  rare  music. 

The  Khedive  of  Egypt  and  the  Shah  of  Persia 
had  previously  reviewed  troops  from  this  same  park, 
which  is  one  of  the  finest  parade  grounds  in  the  world. 

In  the  Crystal  Palace,  which  is  ten  miles  from  Lon- 
don, I  saw  some  very  fine  statuary ;  among  the  best 
figures  being  those  of  Lord  Brougham,  Wordsworth 
and  Bunyan,  and  Dr.  Jenner,  who  first  introduced 
vaccination.  We  also  spent  the  larger  part  of  a  day 
at  Hampton  Court  Palace,  about  fifteen  miles  from 
the  city.  Cardinal  Wolsey  built  this  palace  in  1515 
and  presented  it  to  his  royal  master,  Henry  VIII. 
On  leaving  the  place  I  asked  a  policeman  who  were 
the  present  occupants  of  the  palace,  and  he  replied  : 
"  The  aristocracy  of  England  less  favored  with  this 
world's  goods  than  their  brethren." 

As  you  enter  the  national  gallery  in  Trafalgar 
Square,  you  are  at  once  awe-struck  with  the  beauti- 
ful pictures,  among  which  are,  TJic  Raising  of  Laza- 
rus, Christ  appearing  to  Peter,  Cornelia  and  her 
Children,  and  The  Entombment  of  our  Lord,  the  last 
being  an  unfinished  work  by  Michael  Angelo. 


46  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

I  afterward  visited  Westminster  Hall,  built  by 
King  William  Rufus  ;  and  attended  one  of  the  ses- 
sions of  the  highest  court  in  England,  presided  over 
by  Chief-Justice  Cockburn.  It  was  quite  a  treat  for 
American  eyes  to  look  upon  Judge  and  barristers  in 
their  wigs  and  gowns,  and  then  to  think  of  the  many 
historical  associations  of  this  great  court. 

The  club-life  of  London  is  very  active,  the  Carlton, 
the  United  Service  Club,  the  Athenaeum,  the  Junior 
United  Service  and  the  Army  and  Navy  Club  afford- 
ing ample  scope  to  that  passion. 

It  was  my  privilege  to  hear  the  famous  Disraeli 
speak  from  the  official  residence  on  Downing  Street, 
after  his  return  from  the  Berlin  conference  of  nations 
at  which  Cyprus  was  acquired  by  England.  It  was 
at  this  time  that  the  brilliant  Hebrew  statesman  be- 
came Lord  Beaconsfield,  by  favor  of  the  Queen. 

In  this  connection,  I  must  say  that  of  all  men  in 
public  service,  I  know  of  none  that  are  entitled  to 
higher  praise  for  their  respect  and  sincere  kindness 
to  strangers  than  the  police  of  London,  of  whom 
there  are  10,000,  as  fine  a  body  of  men  as  are  to  be 
seen  anywhere  in  the  world. 

On  the  east  side  of  Fish  Street  hill  in  a  small  square 
stands  the  noble  pillar  designed  by  Sir  Christopher 
Wren,  and  built  to  perpetuate  the  remembrance  of  the 
great  London  fire  in  1666.  This  is  justly  esteemed 
the  noblest  modern  column  in  the  world  being  twenty- 
four  feet  higher  than  that  of  Trajan  of  Rome. 

Cleopatra's  Needle  was,  at  the  time  I  was  in  Eng- 
land, the  observed  of  all  observers  in  the  Capital  of 
the  Empire.  This  modest  wonder  is  one  of  the  six 


London  and  Paris.  47 


gigantic  obelisks  which  more  than  3000  years  ago 
stood  in  pairs  before  the  entrance  of  the  grand 
Temple  of  the  Sun,  at  the  city  of  On,  in  ancient 
Egypt.  Only  one  of  the  six  now  remains  in  its 
original  place  as  a  solitary  memorial  of  the  cloud- 
capped  towers  and  gorgeous  palaces  of  the  Pharaohs, 
the  beautiful  Queen  Cleopatra,  and  all  their  departed 
splendors. 

I  went  to  City  Temple,  Dr.  Parker's  well-known 
church,  accompanied  by  an  English  lady  friend.  As 
we  entered,  the  usher  politely  bowed  her  to  a  pew, 
which  could  not  have  been  more  unfavorably  located 
for  hearing  or  seeing  the  noted  preacher.  After  we 
were  seated,  however,  I  beckoned  an  usher  to  me, 
and  requested  another  seat,  adding  that  I  was  a 
stranger  and  an  American.  "  Oh,  Sir,"  he  exclaimed, 
"  we  have  reserved  seats  here  for  Americans ! " 
Whereupon,  he  conducted  us  to  a  fine  seat.  And 
everywhere  I  went,  I  found  myself,  when  recognized 
as  an  American,  the  object  of  the  most  kindly  and 
respectful  treatment.  I  also  heard  the  Rev.  Newman 
Hall  preach  a  very  able  sermon  in  his  chapel  over 
on  the  Surrey  side.  The  reader  will  remember  that 
the  Lincoln  Tower  of  Emancipation  is  a  part  of  Dr. 
Hall's  chapel,  built  at  a  cost  of  7000  pounds  sterling, 
and  largely  by  subscriptions  from  America.  Twice 
I  heard  the  great  Spurgcon.  When  his  earthly  re- 
mains were  laid  to  rest,  and  the  granite  block  had 
been  reared,  bearing  the  simple  inscription,  Charles 
H.  Spurgeon,  the  widow  was  asked  if  she  would 
add  anything  more.  And  she  replied,  with  simple, 
beautiful  pathos:  "  One  word  more,  'Waiting.'" 


48  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

I  returned  to  America  in  February,  1877,  and 
sailed  away  again  in  April  of  the  same  year,  bearing 
with  me  a  letter  of  introduction  and  recommenda- 
tion from  the  Hon.  Hamilton  Harris.  The  following 
item  from  the  Liverpool  Mercury  of  April  23,  '77, 
recalls  the  closing  incident  of  the  voyage : 

"  At  a  meeting  of  the  cabin  passengers  held  on  board 
the  Guion  steamship  Idaho,  on  the  2ist  of  April,  1877, 
Mr.  Joseph  Smith,  of  Albany,  N.  Y.,  presiding,  the  fol- 
lowing resolution  was  unanimously  passed  : — '  That  we 
the  undersigned,  passengers  from  New  York  to  Liverpool, 
take  this  opportunity  to  express  our  high  appreciation  of 
the  courtesy  and  kindness  of  Captain  H.  Gadd  and  his 
officers  extended  to  us  during  the  passage,  and  heartily 
wish  them  all  a  successful  future.'  " 

I  had  called  at  the  American  Legation  at  the  time 
of  my  former  visit  to  London.  Mr.  Pierpont  received 
me  very  kindly  and  handed  me  his  card  reading  as 
follows : 

"  MR.  EDWARDS  PIERPONT, 

Envoy  Extraordinary  and  Minister  Plenipotentiary  of  the  United 
States  of  America.     17  Cavendish  Square." 

Therefore,  soon  after  my  second  arrival  in  the  city, 
and  availing  myself  of  Mr.  Pierpont's  personal  invi- 
tation, I  called  at  the  Legation,  and  was  immediately 
admitted  to  the  presence  of  our  Minister.  General 
Grant  was  in  the  city  at  the  time ;  and  as  I  entered, 
I  found  Mr.  Pierpont  in  hat  and  gloves  ready  to 
start  for  Buckingham  Palace  to  call  on  the  Lord 
Chamberlain,  to  arrange  for  General  Grant  and  him- 
self a  visit  to  the  Queen  at  Windsor  the  next  day. 
And  so  our  genial  representative  said  :  "  Mr.  Smith, 


London  and  Paris.  49 


we  can  talk  this  matter  of  business  in  our  carriage." 
And  so,  leaving  my  umbrella  in  his  private  office,  we 
went  out  through  the  long  hall,  and  found  his  mag- 
nificent carriage,  with  driver  and  footman  in  waiting 
at  the  door.  We  sat  together  on  the  rear  seat.  The 
whole  conversation  both  going  and  returning  to  the 
Legation  had  reference  to  the  banquet  which  he  and 
Mrs.  Pierpont  had  given  in  honor  of  General  and 
Mrs.  Grant  at  their  residence  in  Cavendish  Square. 
He  seemed  very  much  pleased  that  the  Prince  of 
Wales  honored  the  occasion  by  his  presence ;  and  he 
told  me  just  what  guests  were  present  and  how  they 
were  seated  at  the  banquet.  Mrs.  Grant  and  Mrs. 
Pierpont  were  the  only  ladies  present.  The  hostess 
sat  on  the  left  of  the  Prince  of  Wales,  Gen.  Grant 
sitting  on  the  right  of  his  Royal  Highness.  Mrs. 
Grant  who  sat  vis-a-vis  to  the  Prince,  had  on  her 
right  the  Duke  of  Richmond,  and  on  her  left  the 
American  Minister.  There  were  in  all  thirty-two 
covers. 

After  he  had  transacted  his  business  with  the 
Lord  Chamberlain,  we  rode  back  to  the  Legation 
together,  and  Mr.  Pierpont  sat  down  and  read  my 
letter  of  introduction,  and  wrote  with  a  quill  pen 
this  endorsement : 

"  LEGATION  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES, 
"  No.  5,  Westminster  Chambers. 

"  I  know  the  Hon.  Hamilton  Harris,  the  writer  of  the 
foregoing  letter  quite  well  ;  and  whatever  he  says  is 
entitled  to  the  highest  confidence." 

General  Grant's  reception  by  London  and  all  the 
English  public  is  known  to  all  my  readers ;  but  the 


50  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

hearty  and  spontaneous  way  in  which  he  received 
the  freedom  of  the  city  of  London,  shows  the  spirit 
of  honor  toward  the  old  soldier  as  nothing  else  could 
do.  At  the  great  meeting  in  Guildhall,  the  Lord 
Mayor  presiding,  General  Grant  responded  to  a  toast 
by  saying: 

"  I  was  brought  up  a  soldier,  not  for  talking  ;  I  have 
never  before  had  to  fight  two  battles  in  the  same  place 
on  the  same  day.  To  be  called  upon  to  make  two 
speeches  in  one  day  is  beyond  my  comprehension.  I 
cannot  express  to  you  how  much  I  am  indebted  for  the 
compliment  you  have  paid  me.  In  the  name  of  my 
country  and  of  myself  I  thank  you." 

The  great  General  not  only  stirred  up  the  faculty 
of  hero-worship  in  the  English  heart,  but  he  became 
the  social  lion  of  the  metropolis.  I  count  it  all  the 
more  a  favor,  therefore,  to  have  had  a  pleasant  word 
with  the  Ex-President  at  the  residence  of  the  Consul- 
General.  It  was  early  in  the  day,  and  General  Badeau 
invited  me  into  the  library,  where  General  Grant  was 
seated,  and  where  he  received  me  very  cordially. 

Having  a  letter  of  introduction  to  Mademoiselle 
Albani,  herself  a  former  Albanian,  I  went  to  the 
Royal  Italian  Opera  House,  Covent  Garden,  where 
the  great  Prima  Donna  was  then  singing  in  concert, 
to  inquire  about  her  address.  They  told  me  that  a 
note  addressed  to  her  at  the  Opera  House  would 
reach  her  ;  and  I  accordingly  wrote  her  at  once,  and 
received  before  evening,  although  my  letter  was  not 
mailed  until  eleven,  A.M.,  the  following  card  and 
message : 


London  and  Paris.  5 1 


"  Mr.  JOSEPH  SMITH,  5  Gillingham  St.,  Pimlico,  S.  W. 
"  MADEMOISELLE  EMMA  ALBANI. 

"  I  am  always  at  home  from  four  to  six,  when  not  sing- 
ing. Shall  be  pleased  to  see  you." 

Enclosed  with  the  card  was  a  ticket  which  entitled 
me  to  a  guinea  seat, — $5.25 — stall  No.  7 ;  and  at  the 
bottom  of  the  pass  it  said:  "Evening  dress  indis- 
pensable." 

That  last  condition  left  me  in  a  quandary  ;  for  I 
was  not  the  fortunate  possessor  of  a  full-dress  suit. 
Being  informed,  however,  that  I  could  hire  one  for 
the  occasion,  I  went  to  the  designated  place  on  a 
Friday,  the  concert  coming  on  Saturday  evening, 
and  by  depositing  the  full  value  thereof,  I  secured 
an  entire  outfit,  including  a  lovely  pair  of  ivory- 
covered  opera  glasses.  How  I  went  to  the  opera  in 
the  pouring  rain  the  next  evening,  arrayed  in  some- 
body else's  clothes  ;  how  the  cabman  left  me  at  the 
wrong  door,  where  I  deposited  and  had  to  recover 
hat,  umbrella  and  overcoat ;  how  the  attendants 
healed  all  my  discomfort  by  assuring  me  that  my 
ticket  entitled  me  to  one  of  the  best  seats  in  the 
house, — all  this  would  be  of  little  interest  to  my 
readers.  But  they  will  pardon  the  expression  of  my 
pleasure  at  having  a  seat  directly  opposite  the  Royal 
box,  and  the  consciousness  I  had  that  the  Prima 
Donna,  in  the  midst  of  her  splendid  rendering  of 
Rigoletto,  gave  a  look  of  recognition  to  the  occupant 
of  Stall  No.  7. 

And  I  will  add,  further,  that  the  extent  and  brill- 
iancy of  the  crowd  on  that  evening  was  a  graceful 


52  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


and  deserved  tribute  to  a  gifted  artist  and  a  most 
admirable  woman. 

On  December  2Oth,  I  left  London  for  Paris,  byway 
of  New  Haven  and  Dieppe.  I  went  from  the  me- 
tropolis of  business  to  the  metropolis  of  fashion ; 
and  if  I  could  write  a  tale  of  two  cities,  as  Dickens 
did,  I  would  dwell  upon  this  sharp  contrast  between 
these  rival  centres  of  commerce  and  civilization. 

Bearing  a  letter  of  introduction  to  Mr.  Hewland, 
a  commercial  man,  living  at  89  Avenue  des  Ternes, 
I  took  a  cab  directly  there,  but  rinding  only  his  wife 
and  two  children  at  home,  I  returned  to  my  hotel  at 
26  Rue  Amsterdam,  where  Mr.  Hewland  called  upon 
me  the  same  evening.  We  spent  a  pleasant  hour 
together,  and  at  our  parting  I  accepted  a  cordial  in- 
vitation to  dine  with  him  on  Christmas  day. 

That  Christmas  day  with  the  genial  family  was  a 
very  pleasant  one ;  and  made  the  more  so  by  a  visit 
in  the  afternoon  to  the  tomb  of  the  great  Napoleon. 
It  is  a  splendid  tribute,  indeed  ;  but  does  not  begin 
to  express  the  enthusiastic  admiration  of  the  French 
people  for  their  greatest  hero. 

Of  course,  I  visited  the  Louvre,  and  saw  the  great 
and  charming  wilderness  of  art  displayed  there. 
But  who  can  adequately  describe  the  picture-gallery 
of  the  nations?  The  remnant  of  the  Tuileries,  then 
being  rebuilt,  also  engaged  my  attention,  as  it  adjoins 
the  Louvre.  Nor  did  I  neglect  the  Grand  Opera 
House,  the  Church  de  Madeleine,  or  the  splendid 
Notre  Dame  where  Napoleon  was  married  to 
Eugenie.  And  although  I  remained  but  a  few  days 
in  Paris,  I  saw  the  Arch  of  Triumph  (Arc  dc 


VICTOR  HUGO. 


London  and  Paris. 


53 


Triomplic)  built  by  Napoleon  to  commemorate  his 
battles. 

But  greater  to  me  than  the  historical  Paris  was 
the  living  Paris,  as  represented  by  a  Victor  Hugo. 
For  he  not  only  makes  the  dead,  historical  Paris  live 
again  in  his  great  works  ;  but  he  prophesies,  and 
begins  to  feel  and  see,  the  better  and  greater  Paris 
and  the  nobler  France,  which  is  destined  to  be. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  STORY  OF  FOUR  SEASONS  AT  THE  STATES. 

ON  my  return  to  America  and  to  my  home  in 
Albany,  in  1878,  I  assumed  the  superintend- 
ency  of  the  newly  built  Kenmore  Hotel, 
which  was  opened  in  December  of  that  year.  Re- 
maining here  through  the  year  1879,  I  returned  to 
the  Clarendon  for  the  four  succeeding  years.  In 
1884,  I  entered  upon  my  long  experience  with  the 
United  States  Hotel,  Saratoga,  beginning  as  one  of 
the  ushers  of  that  house. 

But  before  I  settle  down  to  duty  after  my  journey 
across  the  sea,  I  desire  to  say  that  much  of  the 
pleasure  enjoyed  by  me  through  life  has  been  derived 
from  travel  and  the  knowledge  that  has  come  to  me 
through  experience  and  contact  with  the  world.  I 
say  to  all,  and  especially  to  young  men  :  Try  to  avail 
yourselves  of  every  opportunity  to  travel,  studying 
men  and  things.  Go  somewhere ;  anywhere.  It 
broadens,  deepens,  and  quickens  the  mind  and  is  an 
education  in  itself. 

Be  willing  to  pay  the  price  required  for  this  oppor- 
tunity, for  this  going  abroad  among  the  different 

54 


The  Story  of  Four  Seasons  at  the  States.        5  $ 

peoples  will  enlarge  your  knowledge  of  language, 
history,  and  geography,  as  the  text-books  cannot 
do.  It  will  more  than  compensate  you  for  all  the 
sacrifice. 

The  original  United  States  Hotel  was  built  in 
1824;  was  destroyed  by  fire  June  18,  1865;  the 
present  structure  being  completed  in  1874. 

The  proprietors  of  the  house  at  the  time  I  began 
were  Messrs.  Tompkins,  Gage,  Perry,  and  Janvrin. 
The  latter  was  forced  to  withdraw  from  the  firm  on 
account  of  impaired  health,  some  years  ago.  Born 
in  Germany,  he  had  nevertheless  become  a  genuine 
American,  and  nothing  but  the  highest  praise  can 
be  bestowed  upon  him  in  connection  with  the  States, 
contributing  as  he  so  largely  did  to  the  success  of 
this  delightful  house.  And  I  can  say  with  all  sincer- 
ity that  Louis  H.  Janvrin  was  honor  and  probity 
itself.  The  three  remaining  proprietors  were  Mr. 
Hiram  Tompkins,  Mr.  William  B.  Gage,  and  Dr. 
John  L.  Perry.  I  must  say  here,  and  I  most  cheer- 
fully do  so,  that  I  would  classify  these  well-known 
proprietors  as  perfect  gentlemen,  with  all  that  can 
be  implied  in  that  phrase.  And  all  I  can  further 
say  or  suggest  is,  that  this  immense  and  elegant 
hotel,  under  their  able  and  successful  management, 
has  steadily  gained  in  favor,  and  become  known  as 
the  most  genuinely  aristocratic  summer  resort  in  this 
country,  or,  for  that  matter,  in  all  the  social  world. 
Hon.  James  M.  Marvin  is  one  of  the  owners  of  the 
hotel  property,  and  although  he  is  quite  advanced  in 
years  he  is  full  of  the  agility  of  youth  and  straight 
as  a  candle. 


56  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

Mr.  Tompkins  is  a  liberal  provider,  and  he  conducts 
a  hotel  with  princely  elegance.  Genial,  kindly,  cour- 
teous, and  having  all  the  qualities  of  the  typical  host, 
his  vast  popularity  is  based  upon  his  unerring  capac- 
ity for  detail.  His  world-wide  hotel  fame  insures  the 
complete  success  of  any  house  in  which  he  may 
become  interested. 

Mr.  Charles  Gage,  brother  to  the  joint  proprietor 
of  the  same  name,  is  the  head  cashier,  and  is  a  skilled 
accountant ;  and  from  his  position  has  enjoyed,  of 
course,  quite  intimate  relations  with  the  firm.  His 
work  is  done  with  care  and  accuracy,  and  yet  with 
apparent  leisure,  and  he  has,  together  with  Mr.  O.  J. 
Brown,  the  head  room-clerk,  the  confidence  and 
respect  of  the  firm  and  all  its  associates. 

But  I  was  brought  more  closely  in  contact  with 
Mr.  Gage  and  family,  as  he  had  three  lovely  children  ; 
and  as  I  am  a  worshipper  at  the  shrine  of  childhood, 
I  am  always  happy  when  in  their  company.  It  was 
my  custom,  in  the  afternoons  when  everybody  was 
out  for  a  drive,  to  have  impromptu  entertainments 
in  the  corridor  under  the  grand  staircase,  in  what  I 
would  term  my  corner.  Dear  little  Rhoby,  the 
youngest,  would  call  it  a  tea-party.  And  none  can 
know  how  much  pleasure  I  took  in  giving  them 
pleasure.  And  oh,  how  deeply  I  was  grieved  to 
learn  that  in  the  beautiful  month  of  May,  1889,  this 
bright,  spring-time  flower,  pretty  Rhoby  Marvin 
Gage,  had  died.  It  seems  out  of  tune  with  Nature 

o     ' 

that  death  should  come  in  spring-time,  when  all  the 
tokens  are  those  of  life  and  hope.  Death  should 
come  with  the  falling  leaves,  we  are  apt  to  think ; 


The  Story  of  Four  Seasons  at  tlic  States.        57 

and  not  come  with  the  buds  and  blossoms.     But 
there  is  a  flower  Death  cannot  reach : 

"  Say  ye,  then,  Earth's  flowers  shall  fade, 

We  shall  tell  ye  nay  ; 
Love,  the  first  of  all  flowers  made, 
Lives  from  May  to  May." 

Yes,  and  when  faith  speaks  as  well  as  love,  we  can 
stand  up  in  the  Valley  of  the  Shadow  and  almost  sing : 

"  Ere  sin  could  blight  or  sorrow  fade, 

Death  came  with  friendly  care, 
The  opening  bud  to  Heaven  conveyed, 
And  bade  it  blossom  there." 

How  sweet  the  Providence  which  soon  afterward 
gave  to  the  stricken  home,  in  place  of  dear  Rhoby, 
James  Marvin  Gage. 

If  there  is  one  thing  to  keep  my  memory  green  in 
the  hearts  of  my  friends  when  I  am  gone,  let  it  be  my 
love  for  little  children. 

Mr.  Tompkins  is  the  active  partner,  and  has  always 
done  everything  that  could  possibly  be  done  to  make 
this  house  a  palace,  sans  souci,  for  the  saunterer, 
which  means  almost  everything.  Yet  so  quietly  is 
the  machinery  worked,  so  well-disciplined  are  the  em- 
ployees, that  no  one  would  suspect  that  the  faintly- 
heard  whirr  is  the  coherent  whisper  which  tells  Mr. 
Tompkins  the  exact  state  of  affairs. 

I  must  quote  here  a  tribute  from  the  best  author- 
ity. One  day  while  Ex-Mayor  Win.  R.  Grace,  Jay 
Gould,  and  Mr.  Martin  were  sitting  on  the  hotel 
piazza,  Mr.  Grace  expressed  the  sentiment  that  one 


5  8  Rem  in  iscences  of  Saratoga. 

could  get  more  for  his  money  out  of  the  States  than 
anywhere  else.  And  the  others  most  heartily  sanc- 
tioned what  he  said. 

As  for  myself,  of  course  I  was  asked  all  kinds  of 
questions  about  all  kinds  of  things.  Indeed,  I  was 
expected  to  be  a  railway  guide,  a  village  directory, 
a  walking  encyclopedia;  a  kind  of  Major  Domo  all 
round.  And  I  tried  to  fulfil  expectations  as  far  as 
possible  by  informing  myself  in  all  practical  things. 

With  this  observation  let  me  introduce  the  season 
of  1884  by  quoting  from  the  correspondence  of 
Miss  Emma  Janes: 

"  Mr.  Vanderbilt  has  a  large  family  party  with  him 
here,  one  of  the  most  interesting  figures  in  Avhich  is  his 
aunt,  who  is  registered  as  Miss  P.  Vanderbilt,  a  slim, 
trim,  bright-eyed  lady  of  the  old  school,  who  trips  out 
from  dinner  over  the  long  piazzas  to  their  cottage  with 
almost  the  elasticity  of  a  girl,  and  who  wears  the  dainti- 
est of  little  white  lisse  caps.  Sunday  at  dinner  their  party 
was  augmented  by  their  family  physician,  Dr.  McLean. 
Their  table  is  the  fourth  from  the  door  of  entrance  in 
the  row  next  to  the  main  aisle,  on  your  right  as  you  pass 
into  the  dining-room.  Mr.  Turnbull,  a  family  friend, 
and  a  very  popular  guest  of  the  States,  sits  at  the  table 
just  across  the  aisle.  The  Vanderbilt  table  is  the  same 
they  have  occupied  for  years,  not  being  on  the  lawn 
side  of  the  dining-room,  which  many  exclusive  guests 
of  the  house  prefer.  But  it  has  a  cosy,  central,  com- 
panionable location,  this  Vanderbilt  table,  like  that  of 
a  man  who  chooses  to  be  in  the  main  current  of  human 
events. 

"  They  have  had  the  same   waiter  for  half  a   dozen 


The  Story  of  Four  Seasons  at  tlie  States.        59 

years,  who  is  said  to  make  a  good  season  of  it,  in  serv- 
ing this  table-party  ;  not  better,  however,  than  the  waiters 
of  several  other  very  rich  men  who  summer  here.  The 
States  keeps  its  employees  of  proved  standing  a  long 
time,  and  the  house  acquires  therefrom  a  yesterday-to- 
day-and-forever  air  very  refreshing  in  a  summer  hotel 
where  transientness  is  the  usual  law. 

"  Mr.  Joseph  Smith,  the  popular  main  usher  in  the 
great  front  corridor,  an  Albany  man,  is  in  his  first  season 
here,  but  was  for  many  summers  at  the  Clarendon,  and 
knows  the  faces  both  of  the  beau-monde  and  demi-monde 
so  well  that  he  is  invaluable  for  letting  the  right  persons 
in  and  keeping  the  wrong  persons  out  on  all  festive  oc- 
casions, and  for  doing  his  part  with  such  tact  and  cour- 
tesy that  he  never  seems  rude  or  supercilious." 

I  venture  the  assertion,  speaking  now  on  my  own 
authority,  that  no  conspicuous  person  of  our  time 
was  less  understood  by  the  mass  of  people,  and  es- 
pecially by  the  mass  of  intelligent  observers,  than 
Mr.  William  H.  Vanderbilt,  Only  those  who  knew 
him  intimately  understood  him,  and  they  without 
an  exception  admired,  honored,  and  respected  him. 

Mr.  Vanderbilt  was  not  a  Peabody  philanthropist. 
He  disliked  ostentation  of  every  sort,  making  no 
attempt  to  win  the  applause  of  the  populace  by  giv- 
ing money  right  and  left,  and  having  his  good  deeds 
flaunted  in  the  public  prints. 

It  is  well  known,  in  the  inner  circles,  that  his  gifts 
to  institutions,  charitable  organizations,  unfortun- 
ate persons,  solicitous  friends  and  associates,  have 
amounted  to  many  millions. 

In  domestic  life  Mr.  Vanderbilt  was  amiable  and 


60  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


considerate.  He  was  a  good  father,  though  not  so 
good  a  father  as  his  wife  is  a  mother,  if  we  are  to 
accept  his  own  testimony.  For  the  writer  has  heard 
him  say  :  "  I  have  bright  and  well-mannered  chil- 
dren. But  they  owe  what  is  best  in  them  to  their 
mother." 

Mrs.  Vanderbilt  is  certainly  a  very  charming 
woman  ;  and  is  an  example  of  the  typical  society 
woman  who  never  cared  enough  for  the  world  to 
give  herself  up  to  it.  There  is  not  a  woman  in  the 
society  of  New  York  that  has  a  sweeter  and  purer 
character,  joined  to  a  more  refined  and  high-bred 
spirit,  than  she. 

Mrs.  William  H.  Vanderbilt  is  a  woman  who  by 
nature  loves  to  dethrone  misery,  to  enthrone  happi- 
ness ;  to  dry  the  tear  of  sorrow  and  allay  the  pain 
of  anguish.  All  her  benefactions  are  bestowed 
quietly  and  almost  secretly,  her  own  family  being 
ignorant  of  many  of  them.  Thanksgiving  dinners 
and  Christmas  gifts  find  their  way  to  the  hospitals 
and  orphan  asylums,  no  one  knows  whence,  except 
God  and  the  giver.  Surrounded  as  she  is  by  every 
comfort  and  luxury  herself,  her  heart  is  touched 
when  she  hears  of  those  in  suffering  and  want,  and 
they  do  not  go  unrelieved  if  this  noble-hearted 
woman  hears  of  their  case. 

The  daughters  are  intelligent  and  pleasant,  and 
they  are  married  to  men  who,  to  say  the  least  of 
them,  are  American  gentlemen.  The  four  sons  of 
Mr.  Vanderbilt  are  Cornelius,  William,  Frederick, 
and  George. 

Miss  Louisa  Kissam,  the  present  Mrs.  Wm.  H. 


The  Story  of  Four  Seasons  at  the  States.       61 

Vanderbilt,  and  Miss  Lydia  Sill  were  bosom  friends 
when  girls,  and  attended  the  Albany  Female  Acad- 
emy, with  Alonzo  Crittendcn  as  principal.  Miss 
Kissam  was  among  the  first  pupils  in  attendance  to 
enter  the  new  academy.  She  was  the  daughter  of  a 
Dutch  Reformed  clergyman ;  and  she  and  Miss  Sill 
boarded  at  the  house  of  Dr.  H.  G.  Wynkoop  on 
Orange  street.  Dr.  Wynkoop  kept  an  apothecary 
shop  on  Broadway,  and  had  as  an  all-round  helper  a 
young  colored  boy  commonly  known  as  Tommy,  who 
being  lodged  with  the  family  of  course  attracted  the 
friendship  of  the  guests.  He  had  part  in  all  their 
•amusements,  and  was  a  great  favorite  with  all  the 
patrons  of  the  Doctor. 

"  Tommy "  is  none  other  than  our  well-known 
townsman  Thomas  Elkins,  and  is  living  in  Albany 
at  the  advanced  age  of  seventy-five  years,  but  hale 
and  hearty.  At  his  house,  almost  within  a  stone's 
throw  of  Dr.  Wynkoop's  old  stand,  he  counts  among 
his  possessions  an  elegant  embroidered  cloth  vest, 
worn  at  the  coronation  of  Queen  Victoria  by  Mr. 
Angelo  Ames  of  Albany,  by  whom  it  was  presented 
to  the  Tommy  of  long  ago. 

The  year  of  1885  was  saddened  at  the  States,  stand- 
ing as  it  does  under  the  shadow  of  Mount  McGregor, 
by  the  death  of  General  Grant.  And  this  sadness 
was  increased  for  us  by  the  coming  and  going  of 
many  who  were  close  to  the  old  hero  in  public  life, 
and  who  stopped  at  the  house  on  their  way  to  visit 
him  when  he  was  sick  or  to  bear  him  away  when  the 
long  battle  was  ended. 

And  the  event  so  momentous  to  the  nation  recalls 


62  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


the  words  of  another  which  express  the  sentiment 
of  us  all : 

"  When  in  the  pale  mother's  arms  in  the  old  log  hut  in 
the  Ohio  valley  they  put  a  little  baby,  think  you  that 
mother's  loving  and  prophetic  heart  dreamed  that  that 
life,  that  little  boy's  life,  was  the  thread  on  which  were  to 
be  hung  the  jewels  of  a  nation's  life  ?  I  shall  not  tell  you 
the  story  of  that  life.  But  the  hero's  grandest  work 
was  his  last  work.  Yes.  When  his  wealth  had  disap- 
peared, and  his  fame  apparently  receding  and  his  health 
giving  way,  he  tied  up  his  poor  aching  head  and  cancer- 
ous throat  to  write  his  Memoirs,  that  he  might  leave  his 
wife  and  children  a  competency,  and  then  like  Moses  of 
old  went  up  to  the  mountain  and  lay  down  and  died, 
the  world  saw  the  faithfulness  of  a  departing  hero  as 
never  before,  and  turned  toward  him  and  threw  about 
him  the  mantle  of  immortality.  Milton  said  of  Crom- 
well that  war  made  him  great  ;  peace,  greater.  When 
the  sun  set  upon  Appomattox,  Grant  saw  in  the  Heavens 
not  the  Cross  that  Constantine  saw,  leading  on  to  military 
glory,  but  the  Cross  as  the  Christ  gave  it  to  the  world, 
the  emblem  of  peace  on  the  earth.  '  Let  us  have  peace,' 
was  the  last  legacy  he  left  to  his  countrymen,  and  as  his 
mighty  soul  ascended  to  God,  the  land  was  deluged  with 
tears,  and  the  Universe  united  in  his  eulogy.  He  lives  in 
his  work  and  will  return  and  speak  to  us  again  and  again, 
whenever  humanity  wants  a  friend  or  liberty  needs  a 
defender." 

I  honestly  believe  that  the  Union  is  so  dear  to 
every  man's  heart  to-day  that  were  it  assailed  there 
would  be  no  North,  no  South,  no  East,  no  West ; 
but  that,  in  every  section,  the  same  splendid  loyalty 
to  the  Stars  and  Stripes  would  be  revealed. 


CORNELIUS    VANDERBILT. 


The  Story  of  Four  Seasons  at  the  States.        63 


Writing  from  the  States  in  the  season  of  1886, 
Miss  Emma  Janes  says  : 

"  Mrs.  Lispenard  Stewart  is  still  at  the  States.  Her 
son,  so  pleasantly  remembered  at  Saratoga,  has  been 
summering  in  the  Yellowstone  Park.  A  few  among  others 
best  known  in  society  are  :  Mrs.  Austin  G.  Sands,  of 
Newport ;  Judge  Embry,  a  prominent  member  of  the 
Washington  bar  ;  Mr.  Joseph  W.  Harper,  Jr.,  of  Harper 
Brothers  ;  Mr.  George  Bliss  and  family  ;  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Morgan  A.  Dix  ;  the  Misses  Rhinelander  and  the  Misses 
Chisholm ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  H.  Schoenberger,  Judge 
Bockes,  Mr.  John  R.  Keene  of  Baltimore,  and  Mrs.  Will- 
iam Latimer  of  Savannah  ;  Mrs.  Augustus  Kountz,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Rufus  King,  of  Cincinnati ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ryan 
from  Charleston,  S.  C.,  and  Miss  Carrie  Ryan." 

The  name  of  John  Morrissey  is  not  popular  with 
all  classes  of  people ;  but  what  a  famous  name  it  is, 
after  all,  when  you  come  to  think  of  it.  It  is  familiar 
to  many  to  whom  the  name  of  Dickens  would  be 
unknown ;  and  by  the  way,  how  the  great  novelist 
would  have  gloried  in  finding  such  a  character.  Un- 
der some  fictitious  name,  this  rough-and-tumble  hero 
of  the  slums  might  have  become  as  immortal  as  a 
Barnaby  Rudge  or  the  Barkis  who  was  willin'. 

And  in  his  way,  this  Morrissey  was  really  a  genius  ; 
and  out  of  this  Galilee  of  crime  and  vice  some  good 
has  surely  come.  A  rugged,  manly  character,  he 
was  wont  to  exclaim :  "  Yes,  I  am  a  gambler  and  a 
prize-fighter  ;  but  no  man  can  say  that  I  ever  turned 
a  dishonest  card  or  struck  a  foul  blow." 

His  wife  was  a  beautiful  woman  with  great  spark- 


64  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


ling  black  eyes,  a  queenly  form,  and  a  dashing  man- 
ner. When  I  was  engaged  at  the  railway  station  in 
the  transportation  of  passengers,  the  first  request 
made  of  me  by  all  arriving  guests  was  that  I  should 
point  out  to  them  William  H.  Vanderbilt  and  Mrs. 
John  Morrissey. 

I  cannot  forbear  alluding  to  the  Hon.  Chester  A. 
Arthur,  who  frequented  Saratoga  in  the  long  ago 
and  while  he  was  yet  a  single  man.  He  was  a  very 
great  favorite  at  the  Spa.  I  write  of  him  because  it 
is  fitting  that  appreciative  words  and  a  pleasant 
reference  be  made  to  the  social  side  of  his  adminis- 
tration at  the  White  House,  which  has  so  recently 
come  to  a  close. 

President  Arthur  became  a  popular  chief  executive 
mainly  through  his  bonhomie  and  courtesy,  his 
deference  to  society  and  real  enjoyment  of  it.  His 
sister,  Mrs.  McElroy,  was  his  first  care,  and  to  see 
them  together,  walking  or  driving  with  their  daugh- 
ters, was  a  pleasing  and  a  common  sight.  They 
went  everywhere  together,  and  when  they  gave  a 
dinner  or  a  luncheon,  or  entertained  informally  in 
the  evening  at  home,  they  were  a  charming  couple. 
Both  tried  unselfishly  to  make  everyone  enjoy  them- 
selves. 

Mrs.  McElroy  is  a  living  exemplification  of  Shake- 
speare's words,  she  had  "  greatness  thrust  upon  her," 
and  she  readily  achieved  greatness  by  the  exquisite 
tact,  taste,  and  kindliness  of  her  womanly  nature. 
We  in  Albany  should  be  very  proud  of  Mrs.  Mc- 
Elroy. Think  of  a  woman  with  a  desire  and  love 
for  domesticity  taken  suddenly  from  the  quiet  and 


The  Story  of  Four  Seasons  at  the  States.       65 

seclusion  of  her  modest  home  to  preside  over  the 
social  government  of  the  greatest  power  on  earth. 
Think  of  a  quiet  little  home  body  becoming  the  first 
lady  of  the  land  in  an  hour,  and  presiding  over  the 
most  elegant  administration,  socially,  this  country 
has  known,  with  such  delicate  dignity  and  charm 
that  the  wearers  of  the  purple,  the  nobles  of  foreign 
courts,  the  ministers  and  the  legations  paid  her  def- 
erential homage,  and  the  country  gloried  in  this 
woman  of  the  people,  this  unfashionable  lady,  who 
understands  the  true  significance  of  noblesse  oblige. 

President  Arthur  was  deeply  moved  when,  on  one 
of  Patti's  professional  visits,  she  sang  "  Robin  Adair  " 
in  Washington.  The  President's  late  wife  was  an 
amateur  vocalist  of  rare  sweetness  and  power. 
"  Robin  Adair  "  was  one  of  her  favorite  songs  and 
she  sang  it  with  a  pathos  not  to  be  surpassed.  It  is 
therefore  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  Patti  made  a 
deeper  impression  on  the  President  than  she  was 
aware  of. 

In  this  connection  it  is  interesting  to  note  that 
during  Jenny  Lind's  first  visit,  and  the  night  before 
she  reached  America,  the  sky  was  gorgeous  with 
the  Northern  Lights.  Jenny  Lind  had  retired  but 
friends  thought  the  sight  too  beautiful  for  her  to 
miss,  so  sent  for  her.  She  soon  appeared  with  a 
long  mantle  thrown  around  her.  When  she  reached 
the  deck  and  saw  the  wondrous  beauty  of  the  heav- 
ens, she  fell  on  her  knees  and  sang  in  her  matchless, 
angelic  voice,  "  I  Know  that  My  Redeemer  Liveth." 
Every  hat  was  lifted  and  every  knee  was  bent  in 
homage  to  the  God  she  adored.  Passengers  who 


66  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


were  present  heard  her  sing  in  many  concerts  to 
crowded  audiences  afterwards,  but  never,  they  de- 
clared, did  the  Swedish  nightingale  sing  with  such 
effect  as  that  night  at  sea,  under  the  starlit  canopy 
of  the  heavens. 

I  have  linked  the  present  with  the  past  not  as  a 
reminiscence,  but  as  an  incentive,  and  turn  to  Jenny 
Lind  not  as  a  memory  but  as  still  the  sweet  singer 
of  Sweden,  to  whom  we  cling  and  love  the  best. 

But  the  leading  social  event  of  1886,  and  the  one 
which  was  a  never-failing  topic  of  conversation  at 
Saratoga,  was  the  marriage  of  President  Cleveland 
to  Miss  Frances  Folsom.  The  American  people 
were  peculiarly  interested  because  this  was  the  first 
instance  of  a  President  being  married  in  the  White 
House,  and  Mr.  Cleveland  was  the  only  President, 
except  Mr.  Tyler,  to  be  married  while  holding  the 
great  office.  Indeed,  the  event  awakened  world- 
wide attention  ;  and  even  from  London  came  this 
message,  bearing  the  signature  of  Henry  Irving : — 
"  Pray,  sir,  accept  my  respectful  salutation.  Hail  to 
the  Lady  ;  and  the  grace  of  Heaven  enwheel  thee 
round."  Only  one  year  after  the  marriage,  we  find 
this  tribute  to  the  first  lady  of  the  land : 

"  Mrs.  Cleveland,  by  her  beauty  and  grace  of  bear- 
ing, by  her  modesty  and  unassuming  tact  has,  in  her 
brief  year  of  wedded  life,  probably  done  more  to  estab- 
lish the  sympathetic  relation  between  her  husband  and 
the  people  than  any  other  event  that  could  possibly  have 
taken  place." 

And  then  later  still,  and   sweeter  in  its  tribute, 


The  Story  of  Four  Seasons  at  the  States.        67 

comes  this  sentiment  from  the  summer  home  of  the 
Clevelands : 

"  Nearer  and  nearer  do  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cleveland  seem 
to  grow  to  each  other.  Somehow  the  villagers  know 
about  it.  Mothers  draw  their  little  ones  to  their  breasts 
as  she  passes  and  whisper  a  prayer.  They  see  the  soft 
radiant  smile  that  shines  from  her  fair  face  ;  they  notice 
the  fluttering  of  her  lips,  and  now  and  then  the  dew  in 
her  eyes.  They  are  quick  and  they  know,  these  Cape 
Cod  women.  That  is  because  they  are  women,  and  they 
know  more  in  a  single  glance  than  men  can  learn  in  all 
their  lives.  So,  when  the  shadows  lengthen  and  the 
nightly  prayers  are  said,  the  devout  villagers  have  a 
little  whispered  sentence  for  her.  The  pines  breathe  it 
in  each  other's  ears.  The  restless  waves  gurgle  and 
laugh  over  the  secret.  The  birds  chatter  about  it  ;  and 
the  days  move  slowly  by." 

In  1887,  Christian  Science  acquired  and  retained 
so  large  a  share  of  attention  that  other  subjects 
might  very  well  have  been  jealous  of  it.  Indeed,  it 
was  all  the  rage  at  the  States  ;  and  a  worthy  repre- 
sentative of  the  doctrine  was  able  to  gather  a  large 
and  select  audience  for  a  lecture  in  the  ball-room. 
The  speaker  and  her  theme  did  justice  to  the  occa- 
sion. 

"  Mankind  needs  something  to  lean  upon,"  said 
the  speaker.  "  Religion  supplies  that  want ;  and  a 
perfect  understanding  of  true  religion  means  physi- 
cal healthfulness.  Every  desire  of  the  heart  is  legit- 
imate, and  stands  for  something  good.  This  doctrine 
of  helpfulness  is  what  Christian  Science  inculcates," 
she  went  on  to  sav.  li  Christian  Science  teaches  the 


68  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


Gospel  of  love ;  and  love  will  win.  No  chain  is 
stronger  than  its  weakest  link ;  no  government 
stronger  than  its  weakest  people." 

When  asked  why  her  philosophy  was  called  Chris- 
tian Science  she  replied  :  "  Because  the  art  of  healing 
was  first  taught  and  practised  by  the  Nazarene." 
When  asked  whether  Christian  Science  is  not  a  sys- 
tem of  salvation  by  works  she  answered  :  "  Yes  ; 
salvation  can  only  be  accomplished  that  way  ;  for 
faith  without  works  is  dead." 

I  venture  to  close  this  chapter  by  inserting,  not  in 
a  spirit  of  vanity,  but  to  show  my  appreciation  of 
the  good  will  of  others,  an  extract  about  myself  from 
the  correspondent  of  a  metropolitan  paper: 

"  Among  the  functionaries  of  the  States  whom  it  is 
always  pleasant  to  find  at  their  post  is  Mr.  Joseph  Smith, 
Chief  Usher,  whom  the  management  hold  in  high  es- 
teem for  his  ability  and  unusual  integrity.  He  is  always 
stationed  in  the  main  entrance  when  on  duty.  It  was  in 
this  capacity  that  he  recently  found  and  returned  to  the 
owner  two  valuable  diamond  rings,  dropped  by  Miss 
Gertrude  Flower,  a  daughter  of  the  Hon.  Roswell  P. 
Flower,  while  a  guest  of  the  house.  But  the  innumer- 
able lesser  things,  the  umbrellas,  fans,  books,  embroidered 
handkerchiefs,  and  other  useful  belongings  that  he  has 
lured  back  from  their  depraved  tendency  to  wander  off 
in  a  tangent  from  their  rightful  owners,  would  fill  a  large 
volume  to  record.  If  he  had  the  genius  of  acquisitive- 
ness instead  of  the  sturdy  instinct  of  honesty  so  invalu- 
able in  his  position,  he  might  set  up  variety  stores  every 
fall  on  his  return  to  Albany." 


CHAPTER  V. 

TWO  DELIGHTFUL  SEASONS   AT  THE  STATES. 

THE  immortal  Shakespeare,  in  describing  the 
earthquake,  attributes  it  to  the  imprisoning 
of  the  unruly  wind  which 

"  Shakes  the  old  beldame  earth  and  topples  down 
Steeples  and  moss-grown  towers." 

It  is  not  often  that  the  new  world  experiences 
these  throes  of  Nature.  Like  the  moss-grown  towers, 
they  belong  to  the  ancient  seats  of  power,  only  cross- 
ing the  Atlantic  to  lose  themselves  in  harmless  tremors 
among  the  mountains  of  the  torrid  zone. 

But  in  1887,  the  whole  of  our  country,  from  Maine 
to  California,  and  from  the  harbor  of  New  York  to 
that  of  Galveston,  was  stirred  with  sympathy  for  the 
stricken  city  of  Charleston,  which  was  shaken  as 
violently  and  disastrously  as  if  it  had  been  over  one 
of  the  vent-holes  of  the  equatorial  region.  And 
this  sympathy  found  immediate  expression  at  the 
United  States  Hotel,  not  only  because  of  the  broad 
philanthropic  nature  of  its  guests,  but  because  many 
of  them  had  friends  in  the  unfortunate  city,  while 


70  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


some,  like  myself,  remembered  it  as  their  birth-place. 
Accordingly  a  meeting  was  called  for  the  benefit  of 
the  sufferers,  and  among  the  generous  subscriptions 
instantly  made  were  those  of  Judge  Hilton  and  Mrs. 
A.  T.  Stewart,  each  of  whom  contributed  one  thou- 
sand dollars. 

Edwin  Booth,  the  great  actor,  not  only  contributed 
an  equal  sum  to  the  good  cause,  but  sweetened  his 
generosity  by  sending  the  following  letter  : 

"  The  earthquake  horror  reminds  me  that  I  have,  or 
had,  many  dear  friends  in  Charleston.  I  can't  help  all 
of  'em  ;  but  if  the  enclosed  can  relieve  you  and  the  dear 
ones,  use  it.  Would  to  God  I  could  offer  more.  Bad  as 
the  disaster  is,  it  might  be  worse.  The  Almighty  loves 
us  despite  his  chastisements.  Be  true  to  Him.  He  will 
not  desert  you.  My  little  life  has  been  a  chapter  of 
tragedies,  as  you  know,  but  I  have  never  despaired,  never 
lost  my  grip  of  the  eternal  truth.  The  worst  is  not  so 
long  as  we  can  say  this  is  the  worst. 

"  Give  my  love  to  all  old  friends  of  mine,  and  assure 
them  that  though  I  may  never  see  them  again  in  the 
flesh,  they  are  vivid  in  my  memory  wreathed  with  roses 
and  red  ribbons." 

When  we  recall  such  sentiments,  accompanied  by 
so  generous  and  substantial  a  gift,  how  fully  is  this 
posthumous  estimate  of  him  justified  : 

"  Edwin  Booth  was  not  only  a  great  actor  ;  he  was  a 
great  man.  By  his  deatli  not  only  does  the  American 
stage  lose  the  most  brilliant  star  that  has  shone  upon  it 
since  the  war,  but  America  loses  one  of  the  citizens  of 
whom  she  lias  every  reason  to  be  proud  for  his  manhood. 


Two  Delightful  Seasons  at  the  States.  7 1 

If  Booth  was  great  as  Hamlet,  he  was  equally  great  as 
Edwin  Booth.  Like  his  own  Othello,  he  was  '  great  of 
heart.'  " 

The  season  of  1888  brings  back  into  memory  with 
its  fleeting  pictures  scenes  of  lighter  shade  ;  for  com- 
edy as  well  as  tragedy  was  represented  at  Saratoga. 
Jerome,  Sothern,  and  Florence  !  What  a  trio  of 
jokers  !  What  a  triumvirate  of  fun  !  Florence  was 
sometimes  a  joker  more  practical  than  considerate. 
After  he  came  to  know  the  Duke  of  Beaufort,  the 
two  were  soon  bosom  friends.  One  day  at  the  Gil- 
sey  House  Florence  told  the  Duke,  with  apparent 
solicitude,  that  he  was  not  looking  well.  "  You  need 
violent  exercise,"  he  added.  "  I  was  troubled  as  you 
are ;  and,  as  a  remedy,  I  habitually  removed  my 
outer  clothing,  seized  a  heavy  chair,  raised  it  above 
my  head  and  ran  to  and  fro  in  my  room  hundreds 
of  times,  raising  and  lowering  the  chair  as  I  ran.  It 
had  a  marvellous  effect.  Try  it !  " 

The  result  was  that  the  comedian  finally  persuaded 
the  Duke  to  make  the  experiment ;  and  it  was  con- 
trived, too,  that  the  ridiculous  bit  of  calisthenics  was 
to  be  tried  on  the  very  day  when  the  Duke  was  to 
receive  prominent  visitors.  And  just  when  the  noble 
victim  was  in  the  heat  of  his  mad  chase  with  the 
chair,  he  took  the  eminent  visitors  quietly  up  to  the 
room,  and  through  the  key-hole  showed  them  an 
apparent  maniac  in  the  person  of  their  friend.  Of 
course  they  went  about  one  to  another,  echoing  the 
lamentation  of  Florence  :  "  It  's  very  sad  about  his 
Grace,  the  Duke  !  "  And  a  few  days  afterward,  pur- 
suing his  joke  with  almost  heartless  humor,  Florence 


72  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


planned  to  confirm  the  impression  of  the  Duke's  in- 
sanity by  hiding  all  his  clothes  and  then  crying, 
"  Fire !  "  into  his  room,  thus  giving  his  Grace  such  a 
fright  that  he  rushed  into  the  hotel  office  arrayed 
only  in  his  night-dress  and  slippers,  and  crowned 
with  the  further  incongruity  of  a  plug  hat ! 

An  interesting  event  took  place  in  the  City  of 
London  during  the  year  1888,  of  which  I  am  writ- 
ing. I  refer  to  the  Milton  Memorial  window  pre- 
sented to  St.  Margaret's  church  by  Mr.  Childs  in 
honor  of  the  great  Puritan  poet  who  wrote  Paradise 
Lost  and  Paradise  Regained. 

Archdeacon  Farrar  said,  among  other  things : 

"  Once  more  we  are  indebted  to  an  American  citizen 
for  the  beautiful  Milton  window  which  was  yesterday  un- 
veiled. The  well-counselled  munificence  of  Mr.  Childs, 
who  has  already  enriched  Stratford-on-Avon  with  a  me- 
morial of  Shakespeare,  and  Westminster  Abbey  with  the 
window  in  memory  of  Herbert  and  Cowper,  has  now 
erected  this  abiding  memorial  to  the  great  Puritan  poet. 
Myself  the  debtor  to  American  friends  for  great  kind- 
ness, I  cannot  but  rejoice  that  the  church  of  St.  Margaret 
should  furnish  yet  one  more  illustration  of  those  bonds 
of  common  blood  and  tradition  and  language  and  affec- 
tion, which  unite  England  to  the  great  Republic  of  the 
West.  And  I  am  glad  that  the  public  spirit  of  the  church 
wardens  has  assigned  from  henceforth  the  use  of  one  pew 
in  this  church  to  our  friends  and  visitors  from  the  other 
side  of  the  Atlantic." 

At  the  base  of   the  window  is  this  inscription  : 

"  This  window  is  dedicated  to  the  glory  of  God,  in 
memory  of  John  Milton  by  George  W.  Childs." 


Two  Delightful  Seasons  at  the  States.          73 

Also  occupying  a  similar  space  and  position  is  the 
verse  specially  written  for  the  occasion  by  the 
American  poet  Whittier : 

"  The  new  world  honors  him  whose  lofty  plea 
For  England's  freedom  made  her  own  more  sure  ; 
Whose  song,  immortal  as  its  theme,  shall  be 
Their  common  freehold  while  both  worlds  endure." 

This  famous  man,  George  W.  Childs,  whose  com- 
ing to  Saratoga  made  the  Queen  of  Spas  more 
famous,  was  a  frequent  guest  at  the  States  together 
with  Mrs.  Childs,  one  of  the  loveliest  of  Philadelphia 
ladies. 

There  are  few  people  at  this  resort  who  attract 
more  notice  than  John  Graham,  the  once  famous 
criminal  lawyer.  Every  stranger  asks  at  once  who 
he  is.  His  peculiar  dress,  his  short,  rotund  figure, 
his  reserved  air  mark  him  at  once  as  a  character  out 
of  the  ordinary.  His  round,  red  face  is  so  smooth- 
shaven  as  to  suggest  the  professional  actor.  His 
large  hawk's-beak  nose  is  indicative  of  force  of 
character  and  executive  ability.  His  keen,  blue 
eyes,  deeply  set,  are  indicative  of  reserve  and  keen 
observation.  His  thick,  curly  hair  is  so  luxuriant 
as  to  suggest  a  wig.  Upon  his  head  he  jams  down 
a  youth's  white  Derby  hat,  trimmed  with  a  wide 
mourning  band.  His  eccentric  head  is  set  upon  a 
stout  thick  neck,  encircled  by  one  of  the  largest 
of  white  rolling  collars.  His  blue,  tightly  buttoned 
sack  coat  is  trimmed  with  silk  braid  nearly  two 
inches  wide.  His  squarely  cut-off  patent-leather 
shoes,  with  light  tops,  in  their  peculiar  shape  mark 


74  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

another  extreme   of  eccentricity.     Every  article  of 
his  attire  is  as  unique  as  their  owner. 

At  the  date  of  which  I  am  writing,  Mr.  Graham 
was  a  guest  at  our  hotel,  and  he  would  sit  at  my 
side  for  an  hour  or  more,  in  the  immense  hall.  I 
discovered  that  he  was  quite  approachable  and 
friendly ;  any  questions  that  I  asked  him  it  seemed 
a  pleasure  for  him  to  answer.  At  one  of  these  sit- 
tings he  was  giving  his  opinion  as  to  the  merit  of 
some  of  our  great  men.  Among  the  number  I  recall 
he  mentioned  Henry  Wilson  of  Massachusetts  as 
a  smart  man,  ex-President  J.  A.  Garfield  as  a  very 
able  statesman,  Roscoe  Conkling  as  overrated.  I 
remember  asking  him  about  Daniel  Webster  ;  reply- 
ing quickly  and  with  emphasis,  he  said :  "  God 
never  made  but  one  man  in  a  century  like  the  great 
Webster."  In  conversation  Mr.  Graham  was  indeed 
most  charming. 

Mr.  Graham's  close  friend  and  dear  companion  is 
General  Daniel  E.  Sickles,  the  hero  of  many  battles, 
who,  as  everybody  knows,  lost  his  right  leg  early 
in  the  second  day's  engagement  at  Gettysburg.  The 
General  and  Mr.  Graham  were  almost  inseparable 
while  in  Saratoga,  and  they  seemed  to  enjoy  each 
other's  society  very  much.  The  friendship  between 
the  two  has  long  been  like  that  between  David  and 
Jonathan,  passing  the  love  of  brothers.  Both  were 
distinguished  members  of  the  Bar  and  eminent  in  the 
profession. 

While  I  am  on  the  subject  of  lawyers,  it  would 
not  be  out  of  place  to  add  the  following  concerning 
them  : 


Tivo  Delightful  Seasons  at  the  States.          75 


"  Lawyers  may  be  classified,  like  other  people,  as 
good,  bad,  and  indifferent.  As  a  rule,  they  are  much 
better  than  the  majority  of  people  believe  them  to  be  ; 
and  considering  the  vast  interests  that  are  so  frequently 
committed  to  their  care  and  control,  it  is  rather  surpris- 
ing than  otherwise  that  so  few  of  them  go  wrong.  Much 
of  the  popular  prejudice  against  them  grows  out  of 
jokes  at  their  expense  and  newspaper  flings  and  witti- 
cisms. For  instance,  it  is  related  as  a  historical  fact 
that  on  one  occasion  an  opulent  farmer  applied  to  an 
attorney  to  commence  a  suit  for  him,  but  was  told  by 
the  attorney  that  he  could  not  undertake  the  case  as  he 
held  a  retainer  from  the  other  side.  He,  however,  told 
old  Hayseed  that  he  would  give  him  a  letter  of  recom- 
mendation to  a  lawyer  friend,  which  he  did.  The 
farmer,  out  of  curiosity,  opened  the  letter,  and  was 
surprised  at  the  contents,  which  read  as  follows  : 

'  Here  are  two  fat  wethers  fallen  out  together  ; 
If  you  fleece  one,  I  '11  fleece  the  other 
And  make  'em  agree  like  brother  and  brother.'  " 

This  letter  settled  their  difference  at  once,  and  also 
settled  the  lawyers  in  the  opinion  of  their  clients. 

It  must  have  been  this  story  that  the  celebrated 
animal  artist  had  in  mind  when  he  painted  the  fa- 
mous picture  of  a  lawsuit,  which  represented  the 
cause  of  action  as  a  cow:  the  plaintiff  held  her  firmly 
by  the  horns  ;  the  defendant,  with  all  his  might, 
pulled  her  back  by  the  tail  ;  and  the  two  lawyers 
sat  on  their  stools  milking  away  as  fast  as  possible. 

Or  it  may  be  he  had  in  mind  the  following  lines : 

"  The  lawyers  such  a  profit  make 
As  olden  stories  tell, 


76  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

'T  is  said  that  they  the  oyster  take 
And  clients  get  the  shell.'" 

This  certainly  must  have  been  the  view  Peter  the 
Great  took  of  them,  for  when  visiting  the  courts  of 
justice  in  England,  he  is  reported  to  have  asked  who 
all  those  busy  people  were  and  what  they  were  about, 
and  being  assured  that  they  were  lawyers — "  Law- 
yers," he  exclaimed  in  astonishment,  "  why,  I  have 
but  two  in  my  whole  dominion,  and  I  design  to  hang 
one  of  them  the  moment  I  get  home." 

It  is  thus  that  a  well-behaved  and  learned  body  of 
men  are  talked  about,  while  they,  heedless  of  public 
opinion,  go  on. 

Mrs.  Coventry  Waddell,  of  whom  we  shall  have  a 
few  words  to  say,  returned  to  the  States  in  1889,  and 
attended  one  of  the  ball-room  hops ;  and  she  was 
the  cynosure  of  all  eyes.  Thirty  years  ago,  not  only 
because  of  close  relationship  to  the  Earl  of  Coven- 
try, but  because  of  her  wit  and  wealth  and  personal 
beauty,  Mrs.  Waddell  was  the  queen  of  New  York 
society.  Washington  Irving  was  a  warm  personal 
friend  of  hers,  and  used  to  spend  many  evenings  at 
her  spacious  mansion  on  Murray  Hill.  In  one  of 
Irving's  letters  to  her,  all  the  proverbial  grace  of  his 
style  was  mingled  with  wit  and  gallantry  in  a  degree 
little  cultivated  and  little  known  by  the  letter-writers 
of  the  present  generation.  Endowed  with  beauty, 
gifted  with  rare  talents,  a  brilliant  conversationalist, 
and  having  withal  an  ample  fortune,  she  exercised  a 
social  sway  which  is  without  parallel  in  the  annals  of 
New  York  society. 


Two  Delightful  Seasons  at  the  States.          77 

Dr.  Chauncey  M.  Depew  said  of  Mrs.  Waddell  a 
short  time  ago  : 

"  She  was  a  society  leader  in  a  much  broader  and 
fuller  sense  than  we  understand  it  now.  She  was  un- 
doubtedly the  first  New  York  lady  who  ever  had  a  salon, 
and  it  is  unfortunate  for  the  city  that  she  has  had  so  few 
successors.  Her  guests  in  those  far-away  days  belong 
now,  for  the  most  part,  to  history.  Among  them  can  be 
counted  Daniel  Webster  and  Henry  Clay  ;  Washington 
Irving,  William  M.  Thackeray,  John  P.  Kennedy,  James 
K.  Paulding,  Charles  O'Connor,  Pierre  Soule,  Judah  P. 
Benjamin,  and  many  others  equally  famous  in  politics, 
in  law,  in  literature,  in  war  and  in  art.  These  men  were 
not  only  her  guests  ;  they  were  her  intimate  friends. 
Then  came  the  fashionable  throng  of  the  Astors,  the 
Rhinelanders,  the  Minturns,  the  Schermerhorns,  and 
hundreds  of  others,  fashionable  to-day,  but  then  fighting 
their  way  into  the  'charmed  circle.'  The  hard  times  of 
1857  shattered  it  all,  Mr.  Waddell's  fortune  going  with 
the  rest." 

To  meet  Mrs.  Coventry  Waddell  in  1889  was  there- 
fore to  witness  the  union  of  the  past  and  present ; 
the  mingling  of  the  old  wine  of  enjoyment  with  the 
new  wine  of  experience. 

Her  maiden  name  was  Southwick,  and  her  girl- 
hood days  were  spent  in  New  Baltimore,  her  step- 
father being  the  late  Dominie  Van  Santvoort,  of  that 
town.  When  she  married  Coventry  Waddell  she 
was  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  brilliant  women 
of  America.  Her  husband  was  prominent  in  poli- 
tics, and  held  the  lucrative  office  of  Marshal  of  the 
Southern  District  of  New  York,  under  the  Van 


78  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

Buren  administration.  The  bankrupt  law  of  1841 
went  into  operation  during  his  term,  and  was  a  source 
of  such  great  profit  to  the  Marshal  that  he  was  able 
to  purchase  an  extensive  property  on  Murray  Hill, 
where  he  built  a  splendid  house,  which  the  wits  of 
the  day  called  "  Bankrupt  Hall,"  in  allusion  to  the 
source  from  which  the  fortune  had  come. 

It  is  pleasant  to  recall  the  fact,  as  a  tribute  to  Mrs. 
Waddell,  that  although  her  husband's  fortune  was 
swept  away,  she  proved  so  shrewd  in  business,  and 
so  brilliant  in  management  of  finances  as  well  as 
social  affairs,  that  she  not  only  gathered  up  the  odds 
and  ends  of  the  former  estate,  but  added  consider- 
ably to  her  wealth. 

The  season  of  1889  brought  to  the  great  Spa,  and 
to  the  States,  no  figures  more  attractive  than  those 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morosini,  the  well-known  banker, 
and  their  accomplished  and  beautiful  daughter, 
Guilia.  The  Morosini  autograph  which  I  possess  is 
cherished  as  a  precious  legacy,  along  with  that  of 
Jay  Gould  with  which  it  keeps  distinguished  com- 
pany. In  offering  the  tribute  I  so  cheerfully  do  to  the 
accomplished  Miss  Morosini,  I  only  fall  in  with  the 
current  of  social  sentiment  at  the  great  resort  ;  for 
her  praise  is  upon  every  tongue  and  drops  from  every 
pen.  One  correspondent  of  a  metropolitan  daily 
calls  her  the  "  uncrowned  queen  "  of  the  famous 
Spa  ;  and  then  follows  this  interesting  and  eulogistic 
description  of  a  very  pleasing  and  familiar  scene  : 

"  Miss  Morosini  is  undoubtedly  the  best  horsewoman 
in  Saratoga.  She  rides  every  fair  afternoon,  mounting 


Q.   P.   MOROSINI. 


Two  Delightful  Seasons  at  the  States.          79 

about  5  o'clock  and  taking  a  dash  of  an  hour  or  so.  So 
attractive  is  she  in  beauty,  style  and  manner,  as  well  as 
in  her  horsemanship,  that  every  afternoon  a  little  crowd 
of  ladies  and  gentlemen  gathers  about  the  northern  piazza 
of  the  United  States  Hotel,  to  see  Miss  Morosini  mount 
her  beautiful  Kentucky  thoroughbred  and  start  off  on  her 
afternoon  ride.  Promptly  at  4.45  the  groom  appears, 
riding  a  handsome  but  rather  heavy  bay,  while  Miss 
Morosini's  choice  of  her  six  fine  horses  that  have  been 
sent  here  follows  behind  in  charge  of  another  groom. 
In  a  moment  Mr.  Morosini,  whose  shock  of  curly  gray 
hair  and  gray  imperial  and  moustache  and  whose  military 
bearing  would  attract  attention  anywhere,  appears,  radiant 
with  smiles,  leading  his  lithe  and  supple  daughter  by  the 
hand.  She  is  clad  in  a  tight-fitting,  modest  English  riding 
costume  of  the  latest  London  style  of  solid  dark  blue.  Her 
finely-cut  features,  aquiline  nose  and  sparkling  eyes  are 
partly  concealed  by  a  thin  veil.  In  her  hand  she  carries 
a  gold-headed  riding  whip.  At  her  approach  the  noble 
animal  bows  his  head  and  swings  it  toward  her  with  a 
pleasant  nod  of  recognition,  and  comes  nearer  the  walk 
as  if  to  invite  her  to  a  seat.  With  a  gentle,  easy  motion 
she  springs  into  her  saddle  with  grace  and  dignity,  and 
in  a  moment  the  horse  is  off  at  a  gentle  canter,  as  if 
proud  of  its  precious  burden.  It  is  a  beautiful  sight. 
The  young  lady  petite  and  pretty  ;  balanced  with  such 
skill  and  ease  upon  her  perch  ;  the  horse  with  arched 
neck  and  prancing  feet,  moving  swiftly  around  making 
a  perfect  picture  of  beauty  in  motion.  No  wonder  Mr. 
Morosini  stands  till  the  vision  fades,  drinking  in  the 
pleasant  sight  !  No  wonder  the  little  crowd  almost 
applauds  the  pleasure  !  " 

And  while  the  beautiful  Miss  Morosini  thus  fades 


8o  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


from  the  sight  of  her  father  and  the  admiring 
watchers,  let  us  cheerfully  agree  that  it  would  re- 
quire but  very  few  such  beautiful  figures  to  explain 
and  justify  the  tribute  of  Robert  Burns  to  all 
womankind : 

"  Auld  Nature  swears,  the  lovely  dears, 
Her  noblest  work  she  classes,  O  ; 
Her  'prentice  han'  she  tried  on  man, 
And  then  she  made  the  lasses,  O." 

The  incident  to  which  I  am  about  to  refer  is  by 
no  means  devoid  of  interest.  During  the  season  of 
1889  Mr.  Jay  Gould  and  his  children  sat  on  the 
front  piazza  of  the  United  States  Hotel,  waiting  to 
see  the  parade  of  Barnum's  Circus  pass  by. 

Among  the  crowd  of  people  in  front  of  the  House  on 
the  sidewalk,  many  of  whom  were  mounting  the  steps 
and  steadily  increasing  in  numbers,  whispers  passed 
around  that  Jay  Gould  was  sitting  on  the  piazza. ; 
a  great  many  questions  were  asked  me  concerning 
him  and  he  was  the  cynosure  of  all  eyes.  I  felt  anx- 
ious about  him  and  his  family,  as  there  are  so  many 
cranks  in  the  village  on  Circus  Day,  and  planted 
myself  in  front  of  the  Goulds,  standing  on  the  third 
step  below  them.  They  were  just  at  the  landing 
between  the  front  door  and  steps.  I  was  absent 
just  a  moment ;  going  to  my  closet  I  placed  a  revolver 
in  my  hip  pocket  to  be  ready  to  use  it  in  case  an  at- 
tempt was  made  to  do  him  bodily  injury.  Mr.  G. 
P.  Morosini,  who  was  also  a  guest  at  the  hotel  was 
the  only  person  that  knew  the  precaution  I  had 
taken.  I  told  him,  at  the  same  time  he  promised 


Two  Delightful  Seasons  at  the  States.          8 1 

me  that  he  would  not  mention  it  to  Mr.  Gould,  and 
he  did  not.  I  meant  to  use  very  effective  meas- 
ures for  the  protection  of  the  Gould  party,  if  neces- 
sary, and  I  do  not  think  that  I  was  mistaken  when  I 
guarded  against  the  sudden  assaults  of  cranks  on  the 
lives  of  our  wealthy  citizens  who  were  guests  at  our 
hostelry. 

Chancellor  Henry  R.  Pierson,  a  prominent  figure 
in  any  gathering  or  any  assembly,  was  often  with  us 
at  the  Spa,  bringing  with  him,  in  1889,  his  beautiful 
bride,  and  always  attracted  the  honors  he  so  well 
deserved.  He  was  singularly  gracious  and  noble  in 
his  personal  appearance,  and  being  as  gracious  and 
lovable  in  spirit  as  in  outward  manners,  he  embodied 
a  most  rare  and  amiable  personality.  A  man  of  so 
many  functions  and  capacities  he  was,  that  I  might 
speak  of  him  as  banker,  politician,  or  lawyer.  But 
he  stands  to  my  remembrance  as  he  does  to  history 
as  the  Chancellor  of  the  State  University ;  and  that 
office  being  the  measure  of  his  ambition  and  the 
object  of  his  just  pride,  he  deserves  to  occupy  that 
place  in  the  memory  of  the  generations.  And  he 
looked  the  Chancellor,  a  large  and  well-proportioned 
frame  constituting  a  fit  abode  for  his  splendid  mind 
and  his  gentlemanly  spirit. 

Col.  Walter  S.  Church,  an  old  Albanian,  and  fel- 
low townsman  of  the  writer,  usually  came  to  Sara- 
toga for  a  few  days  about  every  year,  and  stopped 
at  the  United  States.  In  1889,  the  year  before  he 
went  to  his  rest,  he  was  there  as  usual,  and  I  had  a 
pleasant  chat  with  him  ;  he  did  not  appear  to  be  at 
all  well.  I  made  his  acquaintance  in  1853. 

6 


82  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

After  his  death  in  December,  1890,  a  beautiful 
tribute  appeared  in  one  of  our  local  sheets  from  the 
facile  pen  of  Mr.  L.  B.  Proctor,  offered  to  the  mem- 
ory of  his  life-long  friend,  from  which  we  quote 
extracts  as  follows : 

"  Colonel  Church  was  the  descendant  of  an  illustrious 
historic  ancestry.  He  was  allied  to  the  old  aristocracy 
of  the  State,  the  Schuylers.  the  Livingstons,  the  Van 
Rensselaers  and  others,  and  yet  no  man  had  a  more  sov- 
ereign contempt  for  shallow  family  pretension,  without 
the  merit  that  corresponded  with  it. 

"  Walter  Stewart  Church  was  born  at  Angelica,  N.  Y., 
November  14,  1813.  He  was  a  son  of  the  Hon.  Philip 
Church,  who,  in  1802,  settled  at  Belvidere,  near  Angel- 
ica, taking  possession  of  an  immense  tract  of  land,  em- 
bracing a  large  part  of  the  county  of  Allegany.  He 
was  a  classmate  of  Lord  Byron,  at  Eton,  and  studied 
law  with  Alexander  Hamilton,  his  uncle  by  marriage. 

"  Judge  Philip  Church  was  born  at  the  Schuyler  man- 
sion in  this  city.  He  was  the  infant  whom  his  aunt, 
afterward  Mrs.  Cochran,  rescued  from  the  savages  who 
attacked  the  mansion,  and  at  whom  the  Indian  hurled 
a  tomahawk  as  she  fled  like  the  wind  up  the  historic 
stairway. 

"  Colonel  Church's  paternal  grandfather  was  John  B. 
Church,  who  acted  as  commissary  general  to  the  French 
army  during  the  Revolution.  He  afterward  married 
Angelica,  eldest  daughter  of  General  Philip  Schuyler. 
He  was  an  Englishman  of  great  wealth,  and  received  a 
polished  education  at  Oxford.  He  received  a  challenge 
from  Colonel  Aaron  Burr,  for  some  offensive  words  ut- 
tered concerning  that  gentleman's  career  while  a  mem- 
ber of  the  state  legislature.  They  met  at  Weehawken, 


Two  DcligJitful  Seasons  at  the  States.          83 

where  the  fatal  duel  between  Hamilton  and  Burr  took 
place,  exchanged  shots,  in  which  a  button  from  Mr. 
Church's  vest  was  cut  off  by  a  bullet  from  Burr's  pis- 
tol, after  which  the  difficulty  was  amicably  adjusted. 

"  Alexander  Hamilton  married  Catharine,  the  young- 
est daughter  of  General  Schuyler,  so  that  he  and  John 
B.  Church  became  brothers-in-law.  Colonel  Church  was 
a  great  grandson  of  General  Philip  Schuyler  and  a  grand 
nephew  of  Hamilton.  Colonel  Church's  mother  was  a 
daughter  of  Commodore  Walter  Stewart,  of  Philadelphia, 
from  whom  he  received  his  Christian  name. 

"  He  prepared  for  college  at  Oxford  Academy,  one  of 
the  most  famous  schools  in  the  State.  He  entered  Ho- 
bart  College  at  Geneva,  from  whence  he  was  graduated 
with  respectable  class  standing.  Among  his  fellow- 
students  at  Geneva  was  Governor  Horatio  Seymour. 
Here  a  friendship  was  formed  at  that  ardent  and  sunny 
period  of  life,  which  endured  until  death  removed  the 
illustrious  Seymour  from  the  scenes  of  earth.  There 
was  much  in  this  relation  between  Church  and  Seymour 
that  evinced  all  that  is  beautiful,  high,  and  honorable  in 
friendship. 

"  Colonel  Church  was  never  married,  though  he  has  for 
many  years  been  at  the  head  of  a  refined  and  hospitable 
home,  where  he  entertained  large  numbers  of  his  friends 
in  a  graceful,  elegant  manner.  _  Among  his  guests  were 
judges  of  the  highest  courts  of  the  State,  statesmen, 
legislators,  men  of  literary  eminence  and  distinguished 
civilians.  Those  who  have  met  Colonel  Church  at  his 
home  or  in  other  social  circles  will  remember  the  attrac- 
tion of  his  manners  and  conversation,  for  there  the 
asperities  of  his  nature  were  never  manifested. 

"  Colonel  Church  was  an  intimate  and  confidential 
friend  of  Roscoe  Conkling,  though  he  differed  from  the 


84  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

great  senator  in  politics,  for  Church  was  a  Democrat, 
and  in  his  active  career  an  ardent,  perhaps  at  times  an 
aggressive,  partisan  of  the  school  of  Horatio  Seymour. 
It  was  the  writer's  fortune  to  enjoy  a  life-long  friend- 
ship with  Colonel  Church.  He  was  the  writer's  senior 
in  years,  but  equal  in  the  friendship  begun  in  those 
years  when  the  mind  is  plastic  to  every  generous  emo- 
tion ;  when  ambition  has  no  curb  and  fancy  no  bounds, 
and  when  friends  are  found  that  neither  years  nor  all  the 
vicissitudes  of  life  ever  change.  As  we  write,  memory 
is  busy  with  scenes  of  the  past  in  which  we  were  actors 
together.  We  remember  this  friend  of  many  years  with 
a  swelling  and  sorrowful  heart.  We  can  see  him  with 
our  moistened  eyes  in  the  pride  of  his  young  manhood 
with  all  the  possibilities  of  the  future  before  him — a 
splendid  specimen  of  manly  beauty.  We  shall  ever 
treasure  him  in  memory,  the  adorner,  beautifier,  and 
preserver  of  the  dead." 

I  could  not  permit  the  year  1888  to  pass  without 
kindly  mention  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Franklin,  who  spent 
the  whole  of  that  season  at  the  States.  Mrs.  Frank- 
lin, who  was  exceedingly  pretty  and  attractive,  did 
me  the  favor  of  leaving  to  my  possession  a  souvenir 
of  her  friendship  ;  for  on  leaving  for  her  home,  she 
took  from  her  belt  a  yellow-bordered  silk  handker- 
chief and  gave  it  to  me.  The  memento  is  still  among 
my  cherished  keepsakes,  and  it  recalls  many  tokens 
of  the  good-will  of  these  most  agreeable  friends. 

In  this  connection  it  will  be  appropriate  to  speak 
of  the  two  lectures  I  gave  in  the  two  seasons  under 
discussion.  The  first  one  was  under  the  auspices  of 
the  following  lady  patronesses  :  Mrs.  Judge  George 


Two  Delightful  Seasons  at  the  States.          85 

S.  Batcheller,  Mrs.  Daniel  S.  Lathrop,  Mrs.  Isaac  N. 
Phelps,  Mrs.  Col.  George  P.  Lawton,  Miss  Aimee  G. 
Lathrop,  Miss  Kate  Batcheller,  Mrs.  William  B.  Gage, 
Miss  Lucy  Gage,  Miss  Anne  Dillon,  Miss  Louise 
Cleveland  Sheppard. 

From  the  Daily  Saratogian  of  Aug.  27,  1888,  I 
quote,  with  grateful  acknowledgment,  the  following 
flattering  notice  of  the  lecture  . 

"Quite  a  select  audience,  among  whom  were  Col.  and 
Mrs.  Lawton,  Mrs.  C.  H.  Washburne,  Miss  Lincoln,  Dr. 
and  Mrs.  Handy  and  Miss  Handy,  Miss  Nolan,  Mr.  and 
Miss  Quinn,  gathered  in  Grand  Army  Hall  last  night,  to 
hear  Usher  Joseph  Smith  of  the  United  States  Hotel  dis- 
course on  the  subject,  '  The  Genius  and  Heroism  of  Fa- 
mous Women.'  Mr.  Smith  showed  himself  to  be  an  ar- 
dent admirer  of  the  fair  sex.  In  fact  he  expressed  it  as 
his  firm  persuasion  that  woman  is  the  '  grandest  of  God's 
grand  works.'  He  delineated  the  character  of  many 
illustrious  women  of  both  ancient  and  modern  times, 
and  proved  conclusively  that  in  nobleness  woman  is  cap- 
able even  of  excelling  her  natural  lord  and  master.  The 
lecture  was  interspersed  with  timely  anecdotes  and  quo- 
tations, and  was  altogether  interesting  and  instructive." 

The  lecture  in  1889  was  entitled  "Across  the 
Threshold,"  and  was  delivered  to  a  very  select  audi- 
ence in  the  Putnam  Music  Hall.  And  we  quote, 
with  our  appreciative  acknowledgments,  the  follow- 
ing newspaper  comment  on  the  lecture  : 

"  A  small  though  thoroughly  appreciative  audience  as- 
sembled in  the  Putnam  Music  Hall  last  evening  to  listen 
to  a  lecture  on  the  subject,  '  Across  the  Threshold,'  by 


86  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


Joseph  Smith,  chief  usher  at  the  United  States  Hotel. 
Previous  to  the  lecture,  however,  Mr.  Smith  introduced 
Miss  Addie  Smith,  who  sang  '  Ave  Maria '  in  a  manner 
which  won  great  applause  for  her  at  the  close.  She  was 
accompanied  by  Mr.  G.  Saulters.  Mr.  Smith  then  came 
forward  and  held  the  attention  of  his  hearers  for  more 
than  an  hour  in  a  lecture  full  of  practical  thoughts  and 
carefully  prepared  ideas.  His  remarks  were  timely  and 
fitting  for  the  present  age  of  the  world,  and  some  of  his 
bright  satires  on  the  young  men  of  to-day  were  very  apt 
and  decidedly  correct.  On  the  whole  it  was  a  very 
bright  and  interesting  lecture.  Among  those  present 
we  noticed  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morosini,  Miss  Giulia  Moro- 
sini,  Col.  Fred.  Conkling,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  O.  D.  Munn, 
Mr.  W.  A.  Skidmore,  and  Col.  and  Mrs.  George  P.  Law- 
ton.  Mr.  Rufus  King,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  V.  Dahlgren, 
Mr.  Eno,  of  the  Fifth  Ave.,  N.  Y.,  and  Mr.  R.  Remsen 
were  also  present." 

In  connection  with  this  lecture  I  was  especially 
gratified  to  receive  the  following  letter  from  Hon. 

d  o 

Mr.  Morton,  now  Governor,  through  his  private  sec- 
retary : 

"  ELLERSLIE, 

"  RHINECLIFF-ON-HUDSON, 
"July  25,  1889. 

"  DEAR  StR  : — Mr.  Morton  desires  me  to  hand  you  the 
enclosed  amount  for  tickets  to  your  lecture.  Pie  will  be 
glad  to  have  them  disposed  of  as  you  suggest. 

"  Very  truly  yours, 

"  R.  S.  CHILTON,  JR., 
"  Private  Secretary." 

Not  only   his   admiring  countrymen,  but  all  the 


L>.   B.   IVISON. 


Two  Delightful  Seasons  at  the  States.          87 

world  knows  something  of  that  distinguished  officer 
of  the  American  Navy,  John  Adolf  Dahlgren.  Hav- 
ing served  in  Brazil  and  in  the  Mediterranean  squad- 
ron, and  having  shown  his  genius  by  the  invention 
of  a  rifled  cannon,  the  opening  of  the  War  of  the 
Rebellion  found  him,  at  the  conclusion  of  a  long  and 
brilliant  apprenticeship,  ready  to  serve  his  country 
with  ripened  skill.  He  was  at  that  time  in  com- 
mand of  the  Washington  Navy-Yard.  In  1862  he 
was  made  Chief  of  Ordnance,  rising  the  next  year 
to  the  position  of  rear-admiral,  and  commanding,  sub- 
sequently, first  the  South  Atlantic,  then  the  South 
Pacific  squadron,  and  finally,  in  1869,  taking  command 
of  the  Washington  Navy- Yard  again,  where  he  died 
in  1870,  honored  of  all  his  countrymen.  The  son 
of  this  soldier  of  the  sea,  John  Vinton  Dahlgren, 
came  to  the  States  just  after  he  had  fought  and  won 
the  great  battle  of  peace ;  and  the  beautiful  trophy 
he  brought  with  him  as  bride  was  Miss  Elizabeth 
Drexel,  daughter  of  the  famous  millionaire,  Joseph 
W.  Drexel,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Dahlgren  remained  all  summer  at  the  States. 
Among  the  wedding  presents  received  by  the  bride 
was  one  which  wealth  alone  could  not  command, 
namely,  the  ring  with  which  Martin  Luther  be- 
trothed Catherine  Von  Bora,  a  curious  silver  ring 
with  a  ruby,  which  has  been  in  the  Drexel  family 
since  1825. 

I  could  not  close  this  chapter  without  the  reference 
of  a  pleasant  recollection  to  Col.  Fred.  A.  Conkling, 
who,  together  with  his  accomplished  and  cultured 
daughter,  Miss  Laura,  spent  the  whole  summer  of  1 889 


88  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


at  the  States.  Col.  Colliding  is  well  and  favorably 
known  for  his  own  ability  and  worth,  and  his  equally 
talented  son  has  done  excellent  service  to  the  litera- 
ture of  statesmanship  by  writing  a  book  about  his 
famous  uncle,  entitled  Life  and  Letters  of  Roscoe 
Conkling,  Orator,  Statesman,  and  Advocate.  The 
book  is  at  once  worthy  of  the  lofty  subject  and  of 
the  clear-minded  author,  and  I  am  happy  in  the 
possession  of  a  copy  of  this  book,  presented  by  the 
author  with  this  autographic  inscription  :  "  Mr.  Jo- 
seph Smith,  with  the  compliments  of  the  author." 

It  was  my  purpose  when  giving  the  lectures  re- 
ferred to  so  kindly  in  the  above  extracts,  to  extend 
the  lecture  tour  to  cities  in  the  central  and  western 
part  of  the  State,  and  was  only  prevented  from 
doing  so  by  the  duties  that  were  nearest  to  me. 
The  following  letters  were  not,  therefore,  presented 
in  Utica,  but  I  give  them  as  tokens  of  the  kindness 
which  prompted  them : 

"  HON.  ALFRED  C.  COXE. 
"  MY  DEAR  ALFRED  : 

"  Permit  me  to  introduce  to  you  my  valued  friend  Mr. 
Joseph  Smith,  of  Albany,  who  will  present  this  note  in 
person,  and  to  bespeak  for  him  your  usual  courtesy  to 
strangers  of  merit. 

"  Affectionately  yours, 

"  F.  A.  CONKLING." 

The  other  letter,  bearing  the  same  date,  Oct.  II, 
1889,  was  addressed  to  Hon.  E.  Prentice  Bailey,  and 
ran  in  this  kind  way  : 

"Permit  me  to  introduce  to  you  my  friend  Mr.  Joseph 


Two  Delightful  Seasons  at  the  States.          89 

Smith  of  Albany,  whom  you  will  doubtless  remember  as 
the  usher  at  the  United  States  Hotel,  at  Saratoga 
Springs." 

When  one  recalls  such  tokens  of  friendly  kindness 
and  recognition  as  these,  and  then  must  reflect  on 
the  fleeting,  transitory  nature  of  all  the  ties  of  earth, 
the  words  of  a  typical  American  woman,  Mary  Cole- 
man,  come  into  mind  as  the  most  adequate  expres- 
sion of  sentiment: 

"  A  sweeter,  sadder  thing 
My  life  for  having  known  you  ; 
Forever  with  my  sacred  kin 
My  soul's  soul  I  must  own  you. 
Forever  mine,  my  friend, 
From  June  to  life's  December, 
Not  mine  to  have  or  hold 
But  to  pray  for  and  remember." 


CHAPTER  VI. 

WISDOM,  WEALTH,  AND  BEAUTY. 

THE  season  of  1890,  with  which  I  open  this 
chapter  of  my  reminiscences,  is  especially 
rich  and  replete  with  memories  of  wealthy 
and  conspicuous  visitors.  All  the  millionaires  of  the 
land  seem  to  be  in  Saratoga,  and  30,000  strange 
palates  are  tickled  with  the  daily  taste  of  aristocratic 
Saratoga  waters.  There  are  17,000  strangers  in  the 
boarding  houses  alone,  and  each  of  the  big  hotels 
has  a  thousand  guests  and  more.  The  millionaire 
piazza,  at  the  United  States  Hotel  has  a  dozen  men 
who  have  to  use  seven  ciphers  in  the  figures  which 
represent  the  amount  they  are  worth.  One  without 
experience  in  that  direction  can  have  but  little  idea 
of  the  immense  sums  of  money  spent  in  watering- 
places.  There  are  thousands  of  men  here  with  their 
families  who  are  spending  hundreds  of  dollars  a  day. 
When  the  Grand  Union  Hotel  was  given  up  to  the 
Stewart  estate  by  Judge  Hilton  he  declared  he  was 
glad  to  get  rid  of  it.  But  when  asked  if  it  did  not 
>;\y,  he  declared  that  he  could  make  $150,000  a  year 

90 


Wisdom,  Wealth,  and  Beauty.  91 


out  of  it.  And  how  great,  then,  must  be  the  daily 
income,  when  we  remember  that  all  this  must  be 
made  in  from  six  to  eight  weeks  !  During  this  sea- 
son, of  which  I  am  writing,  there  are  about  30,000 
strangers  in  Saratoga,  and  at  the  moderate  hotel 
rate  of  $3.00  a  day,  that  would  make  $90,000  of 
daily  receipts.  But  hundreds  of  rich  men  add  to 
this  ordinary  outlay,  the  expense  of  carriages  and 
blooded  horses,  many  of  the  last  fine  enough  to 
grace  the  Arabian  stables  of  a  Sultan. 

One  of  the  finest  turnouts  is  that  of  Miss  Moro- 
sini,  the  daughter  of  Jay  Gould's  old  partner.  She 
is  as  beautiful  as  we  have  described  her,  but  she  has 
a  very  level  head,  and  she  can  at  once  handle  her 
horses  and  herself.  One  afternoon  she  drove  three 
spirited  horses,  tandem,  through  all  that  maze  of 
carriages,  guiding  them  by  a  set  of  snow-white  lines 
which  ran  from  her  little  hands,  and  then  from  horse 
to  horse,  but  giving  one  the  impression  that  she 
must  keep  the  spirited  animals  in  check  by  some 
macfic  such  as  is  described  in  the  Arabian  Nig/its, 

o  o 

rather  than  by  physical  strength. 

Of  course  there  is  extravagance  at  Saratoga  ;  but 
if  you  take  away  from  the  apparel  of  life  everything 
that  is  only  worn  for  fashion's  sake,  we  should 
hardly  need  any  civilization,  much  less  a  Saratoga. 
A  hundred  men  wear  diamonds  in  Saratoga  this 
year  who  never  wore  them  before.  One  morning  a 
tall,  florid  faced  man  from  Texas,  was  seen  flaunting 
his  hands  about  as  he  drank  his  Hathorn  water  at 
the  Spring,  and  there  were  three  diamond  rings  on 
the  hand  that  held  the  slass.  His  neck-tie  of  white 


92  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

satin  had  a  scarf  pin  of  a  diamond  and  a  dox-blue 
sapphire,  and  this  was  pulled  down  so  as  to  show  an 
immense  solitaire  which  served  as  a  collar  button. 
A  Mrs.  Blood  who  comes  from  Boston,  I  believe, 
had  a  whole  fortune  in  diamonds  upon  her  at  the 
last  hop ;  and  among  her  jewels  was  a  necklace  of 
great  solitaires,  which  clasped  the  white  marble  of 
her  neck  like  balls  of  fire.  She  had  a  great  diamond 
star  on  her  head  and  her  hands  fairly  blazed  with 
rings  set  with  precious  stones.  Another  millionaire's 
very  pretty  blonde  daughter  wears  two  ear-rings  as 
big  around  as  a  silver  quarter,  formed  of  a  wide  circu- 
lar band  of  diamonds.  Oh,  yes,  there  are  pearls  and 
diamonds  in  such  luxuriant  wealth  as  would  put  the 
fabled  riches  of  Croesus  to  shame.  But  if  there 
were  no  beauty  to  be  adorned  by  diamonds,  and  no 
fortunes  to  buy  them,  to  what  would  the  seekers 
after  precious  stones  turn  their  hand  or  the  dealers 
in  them  ?  And  even  the  author  of  Progress  and 
Poverty  will  hardly  deny  that  employment  is  better 
than  idleness,  the  state  of  society  being  recognized 
for  what  it  is. 

In  this  season  of  1890  we  have  a  number  of  noted 
people  here,  and  not  a  few  prominent  Washington 
society  women.  Mrs.  Wanamaker  and  her  daughter 
are  in  cottage  14  of  the  United  States  Hotel,  and 
the  Postmaster  General  has  spent  ten  days  with  her. 
Mr.  Wanamaker  thoroughly  enjoys  such  a  vacation. 
He  is  a  good  talker  and  a  good  story-teller;  and  he 
has  had  many  a  pleasant  chat  on  the  hotel  piazzas. 
He  understands  how  to  throw  off  his  work  when  he 
goes  away  from  it,  and  is  as  lively  as  a  boy.  He  and 


Wisdom,  Wealth,  and  Beauty.  93 

Mrs.  VVanamaker  have  taken  a  ride  every  afternoon, 
and  they  both  appear  to  be  in  perfect  health. 

Mr.  Wanamakcr,  as  is  generally  known,  is  super- 
intendent of  the  largest  Sunday-school  in  the 
world.  It  has  been  built  up  almost  wholly  under 
his  management.  He  is,  as  most  people  know,  pro- 
prietor of  the  largest  retail  dry-goods  store  in  Amer- 
ica, if  not  on  all  the  earth.  This  is  one  among  the 
thousands  of  examples  tending  to  show  that  the 
most  successful  business  men  are  likewise  the  most 
successful  church-working  laymen.  The  qualities 
which  are  conspicuous  in  Mr.  Wanamaker's  manage- 
ment of  affairs  on  the  first  day  of  the  week  are  pre- 
cisely those  which  reveal  the  open  secret  of  his 
power  on  the  remaining  six  days.  He  is  untiring  in 
efforts,  watchful ;  inventive  of  expedients,  quick  in 
decision,  prompt  in  action,  invariably  affable  to  sub- 
ordinates as  well  as  equals  ;  keen  in  appreciation  of 
efficient  service,  a  consummate  judge  of  human 
nature.  To  crown  all,  he  inspires  confidence.  What- 
ever dispute  there  may  be  among  the  politicians 
regarding  his  connection  with  the  late  Presidential 
campaign,  it  is  the  truth  which  no  truthful  man  in 
Philadelphia  of  any  party  or  creed  will  deny,  that 
John  Wanamaker  has  so  borne  himself  during  all 
the  long  years  of  his  business  and  religious  activity 
in  that  city,  that  his  honesty  and  sincerity  are  uni- 
versally believed  in. 

In  this  connection,  the  following  letter,  reaching 
back  into  history,  and  showing  Mr.  Wanamaker's 
party  loyalty  in  the  great  campaign  of  1872,  will  be 
appropriate  : 


94  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

"  PHILADELPHIA,  June  7,  1872. 
"  HON.  U.  S.  GRANT, 

"  DEAR  SIR  :  Though  Horace  Greeley  is  my  personal 
friend,  and  I  have  but  little  acquaintance  with  you,  yet 
I  feel  constrained  to  offer  my  congratulations  at  your 
re-nomination,  and  say  that  among  the  thousands  that 
will  come  to  you,  none  can  be  more  disinterested  or 
hearty  than  mine.  Driving  a  large  business,  I  have 
never  given  much  time  to  politics,  but  any  influence  I 
may  have  as  a  merchant  or  a  young  man  I  will  be  glad 
to  contribute  to  make  a  tremendous  majority  in  Novem- 
ber. If  the  success  is  to  be  a  grand  one,  there  is  hard 
work  to  be  done,  and  you  may  be  free  to  command  me 
for  any  service  I  can  render.  Mr.  Geo.  H.  Stewart  is 
my  close  personal  friend  and  will  recall  to  your  mind, 
"  Yours  very  truly, 

"  JOHN  WANAMAKER." 

On  the  back  of  this  interesting  epistle,  in  Gen. 
Grant's  well-known  handwriting,  and  written  in 
pencil,  is  the  simple,  laconic  comment :  "  File." 

Ex-Postmaster-General  Tyner,  and  his  accom- 
plished wife  ;  ex-Governor  Curtin,  with  Mrs.  Curtin, 
the  old  war-governor,  straight  as  an  arrow  and  strong 
as  a  satyr ;  Congressman  Vaux,  who  takes  Sam 
Randall's  place  in  the  House  of  Representatives ; 
ex-Minister  Phelps,  of  Vermont,  who  represented 
us  in  England  ;  General  Lawton,  our  representative 
at  Vienna  during  the  first  Cleveland  administration, 
— all  these  are  here,  with  no  "  ex  "  to  their  personal 
worth  and  their  ability  to  serve  their  country  in 
response  to  any  future  call. 

Mr.  Thomas  Ochiltree,  of  Galveston,  Texas,  always 


HON.   JOHN   WANAMAKER. 


Wisdom,  \Vcftlth,  and  Beauty.  95 


a  delight  among  his  companions  in  Saratoga,  is  here 
with  his  crutch,  wearing  the  skin  of  a  baby,  and  his 
handsome  face  as  fresh  and  clear  as  that  of  a  Scotch 
girl  from  the  Highlands.  He  has  an  inexhaustible 
fund  of  wit,  the  outburst  of  a  vivid  imagination  ;  a 
cheerful  face,  full  of  intelligence,  a  musical  voice 
which  always  charms. 

When  Tom  graduated  from  law  school,  so  the 
story  goes,  his  father,  a  very  prominent  lawyer,  said 
to  him  :  "  Tom,  I  'm  going  away  for  a  short  time, 
and  as  I  want  to  make  you  my  partner,  I  shall  ex- 
pect to  see  the  firm  shingle  out  on  my  return."  The 
father  soon  returned  and,  approaching  his  office,  saw 
in  flaming  letters  this  sign:  "Thomas  Ochiltree  and 
Father."  Our  informant  says  that  Tom  always  in- 
sisted that  he  could  not  see  why  the  old  gentleman 
was  displeased  with  the  shingle.  To  this  genius  are 
we  indebted  for  the  pretty  idea  of  holding  a  garden 
party  on  the  picturesque  grounds  at  the  race  track. 

Speaking  of  the  garden  parties,  let  me  give  here  a 
sample  of  the  conventional  invitation  which  I  hold, 
together  with  the  card  of  admission  : 

"SECOND  GARDEN  PARTY, 
"GRAND  UNION  HOTEL, 

"  Saratoga  Springs, 
"  N.  Y. 

"  The  pleasure  of  your  company  is  requested  on  Satur- 
day, Aug.  3oth. 

"  Children  from  4  to  7. 

"  Ladies  and  Gentlemen,  evening,  9  to  12. 

"  George  S.  Adams, 

"  Manauer." 


96  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

CARD. 

"Admit  Gentlemen  and  Ladies  to  the 
Second  Garden  Party,  Grand  Union  Hotel, 
Saratoga  Springs,  N.  Y.,  Saturday,  August 
Thirtieth,  1890. 

"  George  S.  Adams, 

"  Manager." 

And  in  the  following  summer,  1891,  I  received  a 
request  to  be  passed  on  to  the  several  guests,  from 
the  editor  of  the  Daily  Register,  the  request  running 
in  this  manner: 

"  I  will  be  pleased  if  you  will  favor  me  by  filling  out 
this  card  for  the  Grand  Union  Garden  Party,  which  will 
be  August  15,  1891.  By  so  doing  it  will  enable  me  to 
get  your  name  and  gown  more  accurately. 

CARD. 


Mrs.  or  Miss 
Complexion . 

Jewels 

Gowns,  etc.  . 
Tall,  etc.  . 


"  For  the  Sunday  Daily  Register,  the  only  paper  issued 
Sunday  with  elaborate  and  full  account  of  guests  present, 
and  their  costume.  Please  write  plainly.  Entre  Nous. 

"MRS.    J.    T.    COWDREV." 

Among  those  who  were  at  the  States  during  this 


Wisdom,  Wealth,  and  Beauty,  97 

season,  I  recall  Mr.  Frank  Work,  father  of  Mrs. 
Burke  Roche ;  the  Misses  Graves ;  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Miles  Standish  Bromley,  Mrs.  Bromley  being  the 
sister  of  Mrs.  Wm.  H.  Vanderbilt ;  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Benjamin  P.  Kissam,  with  their  daughter  Ethol ; 
Mrs.  Robert  L.  Stuart,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  O.  D. 
Munn. 

Mr.  William  S.  Groesbeck  of  Cincinnati,  one  of 
the  leading  lawyers  of  the  Queen  City,  but  long  since 
retired,  was  a  prominent  figure  at  the  States.  Con- 
spicuous in  all  public  charities  and  benefactions,  Mr. 
Groesbeck  deserves  all  the  popular  credit  accorded 
him ;  but  the  one  act  of  all  which  has  won  him  the 
applause  and  gratitude  of  tens  of  thousands  of  his 
fellow  citizens  was  the  creation  of  a  fund  for  the 
popular  summer  concerts  in  Burnet  Woods  Park, 
which,  while  made  the  occasion  of  a  great  society 
outing  every  week,  are  also  the  delight,  as  he  in- 
tended they  should  be,  of  thousands  of  poor  people 
and  children.  He  is  a  rare  old  man,  who  exhibits  in 
his  bearing  the  high-bred  gentleman  of  great  wealth. 

Mrs.  Groesbeck  came  of  a  distinguished  and  power- 
ful family,  among  the  foremost  for  a  century  of 
our  history.  Her  father,  Judge  Jacob  Burnet,  was 
United  States  Senator  ;  her  grandfather,  the  Hon. 
William  Burnet,  being  a  member  of  the  Continental 
Congress.  She  was  also  niece  of  Gov.  Pcnnington 
of  New  Jersey  and  bore  the  same  relation  to  Judge 
Hornblower  of  that  state.  Mrs.  Groesbeck  was  a 
fine  type  of  an  educated  Christian  woman,  and  from 
her  great  affluence  \vas  able  to  do  much  good,  but 
did  it  without  ostentation. 


98  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


On  one  occasion,  at  the  request  of  Mr.  Groesbeck, 
Mr.  Daniel  Dougherty,  the  silver-tongued  orator  of 
Philadelphia,  who  with  his  wife  was  spending  the 
summer  at  the  States,  gave  some  of  his  inimitable 
recitals  in  the  drawing-room.  I  can  assure  my 
readers  that  I  never  heard  anything  to  equal  it 
before  or  since. 

One  afternoon,  Mr.  Groesbeck  was  seized  with  the 
impulse  to  measure  the  length  of  our  piazza  fronting 
on  Broadway,  and  requested  me  to  assist  him  in  the 
congenial  task.  Our  measurement  showed  it  to  be 
210  feet  long  and  21  feet  wide,  the  Blue  Parlor  being 
86  feet  by  4/|-  feet.  Therefore,  to  walk  to  and  fro 
on  the  piazza  twelve  times  lengthwise  and  thirteen 
times  crosswise,  one  would  walk  a  whole  mile. 
Plenty  of  exercise,  and  having  the  advantage  of 
being  at  once  out-doors  and  in-doors! 

Mrs.  James  G.  Elaine,  Jr..  spent  the  season  of  1890 
at  the  States,  chaperoned  by  Mrs.  Charlotte  Ann 
Nichol,  with  Master  James  G.  Blaine  the  Third,  a 
sweet  and  darling  little  fellow,  bearing  them  pleasant 
company.  A  nurse  and  a  maid  completed  the  group. 
At  12  o'clock  precisely,  each  day,  Mrs.  Blaine  ap- 
peared at  the  elevator,  and  came  down  to  the  main 
door  leaning  upon  a  crutch  and  bringing  a  pillow  to 
rest  her  back  against  when  sitting.  It  is  needless 
for  me  to  say  that  Mrs.  Blaine  is  exceedingly  hand- 
some; and  I  could  hardly  exaggerate  the  description 
of  her  beauty.  It  was  perhaps  a  simple  tribute  to 
beauty  that  a  great  many  people  came  in  and  re- 
quested me  to  point  her  out  to  them  ;  and  to  gratify 
their  curiosity  or  admiration  they  would  wait  long 


Wisdom,  Weal  fit,  and  Beauty.  99 


and  patiently,  or  at  least  long,  if  not  patiently,  for  a 
glimpse  of  her.  I  frequently  loaned  my  opera  glasses 
to  those  who  wished  to  observe  her  through  the  par- 
lor window  as  she  sat  upon  the  piazza,  all  unconscious 
of  the  eyes  that  rested  upon  her.  A  bevy  of  gentle- 
men friends  took  great  pleasure  in  entertaining  the 
lady,  among  them  being  Mr.  Work,  Mr.  Cutting,  and 
his  son,  R.  L.  Cutting,  Jr. ;  and  after  the  first  week 
the  coterie  was  augmented  by  the  arrival  of  her  coun- 
sel, the  handsome  Dclancy  Nichol. 

Who  is  there  among  the  habitues  of  Saratoga  that 

o  o 

does  not  know  the  familiar  figure  of  E.  Berry  Wall, 
who  hails  from  New  York  City  and  has  been  coming 
here  ever  since  he  was  a  child  ?  The  qualities  Berry 
displayed  as  a  lad  developed  and  refined  as  he  grew 
to  manhood  and  explain  his  great  popularity  among 
his  associates.  He  is  conspicuous  for  winning  man- 
ners, naive  innocence  and  complete  absence  of  pride 
of  rank.  Never  is  he  happier  than  when  he  is  the 
centre  of  a  group  of  good  fellows,  leading  them  on 
to  talk  or  some  amusing  sport,  forgetting  that  he  is 
a  King.  In  this  connection  I  must  say  that  Mr. 
Wall  is  not  only  a  handsome  young  man  but  he  is 
also  a  ladies'  man,  par  excellence,  as  he  has  not  yet 
become  a  Benedict  ;  and  from  my  observation  of 
to-day,  I  do  not  believe  he  has  a  care,  he  seems  to 
live  only  for  the  fun  of  living:  life  apparently  to 
him  has  no  unpleasant  side.  He  may  die  poor  but 
I  do  not  believe  that  he  would  mind  that  at  all  if  he 
could  only  live  rich. 

An  event  of  the  year  1891  was  the  great  Unitarian 
Convention  at  Saratoga,  presided  over  by  George 


ioo  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


William  Curtis.  On  his  arrival  at  the  Spa,  Mr. 
Curtis  entered  the  United  States  Hotel  through  the 
Broadway  entrance,  where  I  was  stationed  at  the 
time.  Recognizing  the  distinguished  visitor  at  once, 
I  seized  his  grip,  escorted  him  to  the  desk  and  intro- 
duced him  to  Mr.  Tompkins.  No  sooner  had  I 
returned  to  my  post  than  Mr.  Robert  L.  Cutting 
appeared  and  asked  me  if  I  knew  the  person  whom 
I  had  just  accompanied  to  the  desk.  I  instantly  re- 
plied by  informing  Mr.  Cutting  that  the  person  was 
that  splendid  gentleman  and  finished  scholar,  George 
William  Curtis  of  New  York. 

The  address  of  Mr.  Curtis  on  the  occasion  alluded 
to  was  most  delightful  indeed.  It  made  one  love 
the  English  language.  His  word-pictures  were 
graphic  and  beautiful.  The  most  accomplished  ora- 
tor of  his  day  and  generation,  he  addressed  no  audi- 
ence that  he  did  not  charm  and  touched  no  subject 
that  he  did  not  adorn.  He  left  us  such  a  legacy  as 
only  genius,  and  genius  not  always,  can  give,  while 
his  classic  little  story,  Prue  and  7,  demonstrates  the 
fact  that  if  he  had  been  relieved  from  the  tasks  of 
journalism,  he  might  have  added  largely  to  perma- 
nent literature. 

The  great  Convention  comes  at  a  date  when  our 
guests  are  largely  gone,  else  we  should  hardly  have 
room  for  so  great  a  delegation.  But  in  this  particu- 
lar season,  Mrs.  Dr.  Munn  and  Miss  Helen  Gould 
were  among  our  late  September  guests,  and  found 
themselves  a  part  of  the  great  Biennial  Reunion. 
The  two  ladies  were  on  their  way  to  supper  one  even- 
ing, passing  by  the  lawn  door  which  leads  to  the 


Wisdom,  Wealth,  and  Beauty.  101 

street  on  the  front.  Bidding  them  good-evening,  I 
told  Mrs.  Munn  that  I  did  not  think  they  would  be 
able  to  get  inside  the  supper  room,  as  it  was  a  little 
late,  and  there  were  no  Unitarians  in  sight.  Instantly 
they  started  on  a  playful  run,  one  of  them  saying  to 
the  other :  "  We  must  hurry  up  and  get  our  supper 
before  the  Unitarians  eat  everything  up  ! " 

But  whether  the  Unitarians  ate  much  or  little,  and 
even  if  they  left  absolutely  nothing  that  evening  for 
Mrs.  Munn  and  Miss  Gould,  they  had  a  great  con- 
vention, which  called  to  Saratoga  some  of  the  finest 
people  of  the  country. 

Mrs.  Murray  C.  Shoemaker  of  Cincinnati,  with  her 
son  and  daughter,  spent  the  entire  season  at  the  ho- 
tel. Mrs.  Shoemaker  is  a  widow,  and  was  one  of  the 
loveliest  of  all  the  guests  of  the  States.  Perfect  in 
the  quiet  elegance  of  all  her  appointments,  and  most 
dainty  in  her  tastes,  sweet  and  gentle  in  her  disposi- 
tion, I  would  term  the  lady  a  feminine  Chesterfield. 
At  meal  hours,  when  she  descended  by  the  elevator 
to  the  ground  floor,  and  glancing  over  to  my  seat, 
greeted  me  with  a  kindly  smile  and  a  friendly  nod,  I 
have  more  than  once  exclaimed  that  she  looked  like 
a  princess.  Mrs.  Shoemaker  is  a  daughter  of  Hon. 
James  M.  Marvin,  one  of  the  owners  of  the  hotel 
property. 

A  very  select  party,  comprising  Mr.  Trowbridge 
and  his  mother,  Miss  Tyler,  Mr.  Trowbridge's  in- 
tended, all  of  New  Haven,  Conn.,  were  pleasantly 
domiciled  in  Cottage  Ro\v  at  the  States.  Miss  Tyler 
was  very  pretty,  and  her  future  husband  a  tall,  manly, 
handsome  young  man.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thompson  and 


IO2  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

their  charming  daughter  and  their  manly  young  son 
also  spent  the  summer  of  1891  at  our  hotel. 

This  sketch  of  1891  would  not  be  complete  with- 
out a  pen-picture  of  a  few  of  the  famously  beautiful 
women  who  gathered  at  Saratoga  that  year.  "  One 
of  the  most  lovely  women  in  Saratoga  this  year," 
writes  a  society  student  in  1891,  "is  Mrs.  James  E. 
Pepper  of  Kentucky,  which  State  always  does  itself 
proud  in  its  daughters.  Mrs.  Pepper  is  tall,  slender, 
and  graceful,  her  figure  girlish  in  its  outlines ;  and 
she  carries  herself  with  dignity.  She  has  a  most 
beautiful  complexion,  soft  and  fair,  with  the  delicate 
tints  of  the  blush  rose  in  her  cheeks.  Her  eyes  are 
a  deep,  rich  hazel,  shaded  by  long  dark  lashes,  and 
arched  by  beautiful  brows.  Her  hair  is  a  crowning 
glory,  as  a  woman's  hair  should  be.  It  is  a  warm, 
light  chestnut,  with  golden  gleams  shining  through  it, 
and  it  is  always  becomingly  arranged. 

"  Mrs.  Charles  H.  T.  Collis  is  a  marked  contrast  to 
Mrs.  Pepper.  She  is  as  brunette  as  the  other  is 
blonde.  Her  splendid  eyes  are  dark  and  lustrous, 
just  the  kind  of  eyes  the  old-time  novelists  used  to 
call  midnight  orbs.  Her  figure  is  faultless  in  its 
symmetry,  and  she  dresses  with  an  elegant  simplicity 
which  is  delightful.  She  always  wears  black,  but  her 
gowns  are  of  the  richest  materials  obtainable.  She 
has  splendid  jewels,  many  of  them  being  absolutely 
unique.  Mrs.  Collis  is  an  amazingly  clever  woman, 
withal,  speaking  languages  by  the  dozen,  writing 
books  and  talking  as  fluently  as  she  writes. 

"  One  of  the  most  attractive  young  women  here  is 
Miss  Eugenia  Thompson,  who  is  a  tall,  statuesque 


Wisdom,  Wealth,  and  Beauty.  103 


creature,  with  a  profusion  of  wonderful  hair,  like 
Sarah  Bernhardt's,  and  eyes  of  forget-me-not  blue. 
She  has  a  lovely  figure,  splendid  teeth,  a  captivating 
smile  and  the  prettiest  arms  imaginable. 

"Among  the  younger  girls  quite  the  most  beautiful 
in  Saratoga,  perhaps,  is  Miss  Bessie  Armstead,  who 
is  spending  the  summer  here  at  the  Windsor  with 
her  parents,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  H.  Armstead  of  Brook- 
lyn. Miss  Bessie  is  just  sweet  sixteen  ;  is  refresh- 
ingly sweet  and  girlish,  with  eyes  that  are  large, 
lovely  and  expressive,  and  a  face  which  is  simply 
captivating  when  she  smiles,  fascinating  everybody. 
Another  charming  girl  is  Miss  Otto  of  Buffalo,  who 
has  a  most  attractive  face,  crowned  by  a  bewildering 
profusion  of  rich,  ruddy  hair,  such  as  Titian  painted 
on  his  beauties.  Miss  Jennie  Lissberger,  Miss  Belle 
Hermann  and  Miss  Bertha  Mayer  are  a  trinity  of 
beauties  who  are  showered  with  admiration  ;  and  all 
three  will  inherit  wealth  as  well  as  beauty.  And 
then  here  is  Mrs.  Benjamin  F.  Beckel  of  New  York, 
whose  natural  attractiveness  is  enhanced  by  some  of 
the  most  splendid  costumes  ever  seen  in  this  edcn 
of  costumes  ;  and  Mrs.  Luther  G.  Tillotson  of  New 
York,  rich,  handsome,  charitable,  entertaining,  and 
by  far  the  wittiest  woman  of  them  all  ;  and  Miss  Car- 
rie Stevenson,  of  Baltimore,  with  eyes  so  brilliant 
that  they  have  stolen  the  hearts  of  more  than  one 
susceptible  fellow. 

"  If  we  come  to  speak  of  men,  they  are  here  in 
whole  regiments.  And  such  men  !  No  matter  what 
your  ideal  may  be,  he  is  here.  Thick  or  thin,  tall 
or  short,  dark  or  fair,  frivolous  or  pompous,  hand- 


IO4  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

some  or  plain,  rich  or  poor,  gay  or  grave,  bachelor, 
widower,  married  man,  he  is  here  !  There  is  no  age, 
size,  previous  or  present  condition  of  mankind  which 
is  not  represented  in  Saratoga.  There  are  as  many 
beaux  as  belles  this  summer  ;  but  the  beau  par  excel- 
lence is  Mr.  Edward  M.  Curtiss,  of  New  York.  Of 
remarkably  aristocratic  mien,  with  bright  eyes,  a  fresh 
face,  a  courteous  manner,  he  is  deservedly  considered 
the  most  popular  man  in  Saratoga.  He  is  a  guest  of 
the  United  States  Hotel,  where  he  is  always  the  object 
of  startled  admiration ;  for  Mr.  Curtiss  has  an  indi- 
viduality that  is  as  unique  and  striking  as  his  ap- 
pearance. He  plans  and  arranges  Lucullian  banquets 
with  a  celerity  and  easy  grace  that  few  men  can 
exhibit,  and  being  rich  as  well  as  attractive,  and 
almost  literally  living  for  the  pleasure  of  his  friends, 
Mr.  Curtiss  may  be  written  down  as  one  of  the  kind- 
est and  most  considerate  men  who  have  fulfilled  the 
adage  that  '  handsome  is  as  handsome  does.'  ' 

A  happy  climax  to  all  the  social  events  of  1891 
was  the  visit  of  President  Harrison  at  the  Spa,  who, 
while  here,  was  tendered  a  brilliant  reception  at  the 
Pompeian  House  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  S.  T.  Stranahan. 
The  reception  was  largely  attended  by  the  guests  of 
the  various  hotels,  as  well  as  by  the  cottagers  so- 
journing at  the  Springs.  The  President  also  attended 
a  Charity  Ball  given  at  the  States,  and  was  accom- 
panied on  the  occasion  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stranahan 
and  others.  The  party  appeared  before  a  large  and 
enthusiastic  concourse  of  people,  the  ball-room  being 
filled  by  the  wealth  and  beauty  of  the  cosmopolitan 
town. 


HON.    J.   S.   T.  STRANAHAN. 


Wisdom,  Wealth,  and  Beauty.  105 


The  next  morning,  on  her  way  to  the  Spring,  Mrs. 
Stranahan  stopped  on  the  front  piazza  a  moment  to 
tell  me  about  the  great  pleasure  she  had  experienced 
the  evening  before,  especially  at  the  moment  when 
she  entered  the  hall,  leaning  on  the  arm  of  the  Presi- 
dent. As  they  crossed  the  threshold  that  immense 
assemblage  of  people  rose  to  their  feet,  simultane- 
ously, waving  their  handkerchiefs  and  clapping  their 
hands,  while  the  band  struck  up  "  Hail  to  the  Chief." 
The  lady  assures  me  it  was  really  one  of  the  happiest 
moments  of  her  life,  and  one  never  to  be  forgotten. 

The  waiters  employed  at  the  Spa  are  usually  col- 
ored men,  the  States  never  having  had  any  other. 
The  head  waiter  is  a  dignitary  of  imposing  presence. 
Responsibility  sits  upon  his  shoulders,  and  authority 
beams  from  the  distended  pupil  of  his  tropical  eye. 
His  dignity  is  sometimes  almost  overpowering.  His 
position  elevates  him  far  above  servitude  in  its  com- 
moner forms.  He  will  under  a  strong  pressure  of 
circumstances,  in  an  extraordinary  emergency,  hand 
a  lady  a  spoon  or,  with  his  own  hand,  will  replenish 
her  cup ;  but  seldom  will  he  drop  from  his  lofty 
range  of  thought  to  perform  these  slender  services 
for  a  man.  Between  the  head  waiter  and  the  cook 
there  are  many  battles,  but  the  cook  always  wins. 
And  that  reminds  me  that  the  chef  of  the  States  as- 
sured me  last  summer  that  he  had  twenty-one  men 
and  twelve  women  to  assist  him  in  the  kitchen. 

The  picture  of  a  well-ordered  dining-room  before 
the  hungry  boarders  make  an  attack  upon  it  is  really 
impressive.  The  light  is  toned  into  a  fashionable 
gloom,  the  tables  are  carefully  furnished,  and  behind 


io6  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

the  row  of  napkins,  arranged  in  war-like  array  in  the 
goblets,  and  the  tall  celery  glasses,  stand  the  black- 
coated  sentinels.  Their  faces  are  as  destitute  of 
expression  as  a  store-box.  That  is  not,  however, 
because  they  do  not  think,  but  because  they  have 
the  enviable  faculty  of  simply  appearing  not  to  think. 
They  can  discharge  every  vestige  of  expression  from 
their  faces  in  a  second's  time.  Perhaps  that  accom- 
plishment is  as  much  an  inheritance  as  an  acquire- 
ment. Their  enslaved  ancestors  toiled  sadly  and 
silently  without  daring  to  betray  to  their  oppressors 
that  they  entertained  any  thoughts  not  connected 
with  their  work.  The  habit  became  second  nature, 
and  the  repressing  experience  passed  as  a  gift  to 
their  descendants,  who  find  it  even  now,  in  the  days 
of  freedom,  a  valuable  possession.  Does  the  waiter 
think?  Engage  him  in  conversation  on  some  sub- 
ject near  his  heart,  and  you  shall  see.  He  knows 
everybody  in  the  dining-room.  He  is  the  best-posted 
man  on  personalities  in  any  profession.  He  could 
tell  highly  interesting  tales  of  the  silent  and  awfully 
respectable  looking  man  just  over  there,  if  he  would. 
He  knows  more  about  the  women  with  the  resplen- 
dent diamonds  and  the  captivating  smile,  than  any 
two  other  individuals  could  ever  dream  of.  But  he 
is  marvellously  discreet  as  well.  He  knows  the  value 
of  caution.  He  is  not  at  all  confiding.  He  takes 
comfort  in  the  possession,  not  in  the  dissemination, 
of  his  knowledge.  He  knows  in  an  instant  when  he 
is  being  quizzed,  and  closes  like  an  oyster.  He  has 
learned  a  lesson  that  would  be  very  valuable  to  white 
employees — namely,  that  a  garrulous  servant  never 


Wisdom,  Wealth,  and  Beauty.  107 

keeps  a  situation.  He  has  the  correct  idea  of  the 
commercial  value  of  silence.  He  is  not  likely  to 
imperil  his  situation  for  the  sake  of  gossip.  He  is  a 
philosopher,  though  he  may  not  have  recognized 
himself  in  that  capacity.  At  heart  the  table  waiter 
of  color  is  a  true  gentleman.  In  the  impulsive  kind- 
liness of  his  heart,  he  feels  kindly  toward  everybody 
who  does  not  positively  oppress  him.  He  is  con- 
siderable of  a  flatterer,  but  his  flattery  has  all  the 
flavor  of  sincerity  ;  and  he  has  a  deferential,  respect- 
ful manner  that  contains  the  quintessence  of  flattery, 
delicate,  refined,  and  palatable. 

"  Waiter,"  said  the  typical  guest  to  the  typical 
functionary,  "  did  n't  I  give  you  a  dollar  when  I  first 
came  in  ? >% 

"  Yes,  sir,"  was  the  reply. 

"  And  yet  you  've  kept  me  waiting  here  nearly 
three  quarters  of  an  hour!  " 

"  Yes,  sir,"  concluded  the  typical  colored  waiter, 
and  so  silenced  his  generous  adversary,  "  I  done  that, 
sir,  to  show  you  that  I  could  n't  be  bribed,  sir." 

A    BILL    OF    FARE. 

Oysters  on  Half  Shell. 

Sauterne. 
Green  Turtle  Soup.  Olives. 

Sherry. 
Boiled  Salmon.    Lobster  Sauce.    Potato  Balls. 

Sauterne. 
Sweetbread  Cutlets.  Peas. 

Claret. 

Fillet  of  Beef.  Mushroom  Sauce. 

Lima  Beans.         Mashed  Potatoes. 

Champagne. 


loS  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


Roman   Punch. 
Supremes  of  Chickens  with  Truffle  Sauce. 

Terrapin.  Saratoga  Chips. 

Birds  on  Toast.  Salted  Almonds. 

Lettuce.  Cheese.  Crackers. 

Roquefort  and  Neufchatel. 

Ices  and  Cakes. 
Fruits.  Coffee.  Cigars. 

Benedictine. 

In  relation  to  the  use  of  napkins,  it  is  decidedly 
better  form  to  have  them  folded  for  dinner  in  the 
plain  square  fashion  as  they  come  from  under  the 
iron  at  the  laundry.  Fancy  devices  are  entirely  too 
suggestive  of  the  many  hands  through  which  they 
have  passed. 

A  BILL  OF    FARE. 

Oysters  on  Half  Shell. 

Latour  Blanche. 
Consomme  Royale.  Cream  of  Celery. 

Amontillado. 
Salmon  Cutlets.  Shrimp  Sauce. 

Potatoes.  Marcolmmner. 

Breast  of  Chicken.  Peas. 

Fillet  of  Beef.         Spinach. 

Delbeck. 

Benedictine  Punch.  Cigarettes. 

Timbale  of  Sweetbreads. 

Chat  Lafitte. 
Partridges.  Lettuce. 

Clos  de  Vougeot. 
Terrapin.  Saratoga  Chips. 

Delbeck. 

Ices  Meringues.  Fruits. 

Coffee.  Cigars. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

TWO   EVENTFUL  SUMMERS   AT   THE   FAMOUS 
HOSTELRY. 

"  r  ¥  "HE  charm  of  Saratoga  to  me,"  said  a  man  on 

the  hotel  piazza,  "  is  its  cosmopolitan  flavor. 

At  Newport   you   find   New  Yorkers;    at 

Cape  May  and  Atlantic  City,  Philadelphians  ;  while 

Boston  fills  the  Maine  resorts  :  but  here  you  get  the 

cream  of  every  city  in  the  Union." 

But  the  most  cosmopolitan  being  of  all,  wherever 
you  find  her,  is  the  typical  summer  girl,  who  is  at  once 
a  delight  and  a  delusion.  As  an  abstract  idea  she  is 
an  irresistible  and  all-conquering  success,  a  creature 
of  sweetness  and  light.  In  reality  she  is  often  a  de- 
lusion to  others  and  a  snare  to  her  own  peace  of 
mind.  A  profound  student  of  the  summer  girl  de- 
clares that  the  chief  cause  of  the  restlessness  which 
often  mars  her  charms  is  due  to  her  tense  and  over- 
strained desire  to  have  a  good  time.  The  seeker  for 
a  good  time  who  seeks  merrily  and  unconsciously, 
usually  finds  it  and  revels  in  the  enjoyment  of  it, 
summer  and  winter  alike.  But  the  summer  girl,  in 

109 


no  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

her  most  highly  organized  examples,  does  not  al- 
ways have  the  good  time  her  effort  deserves,  simply 
because  she  grasps  too  eagerly  for  the  prize.  Seek- 
ing for  a  good  time  is  much  like  seeking  for  four- 
leaved  clovers  :  you  may  look  for  them  in  vain  all 
the  day,  and  then  happen  upon  one  at  evening  when 
you  are  looking  at  the  grasshoppers. 

I  ought  not  to  forget  the  boarding-house  while 
speaking  of  a  great  hotel.  The  boarding-house  is  as 
close  akin  to  the  great  hotel  as  the  cottage  to  the 
palace  ;  and  the  greatest  people  sometimes  prefer 
the  boarding-house  because  of  the  quiet  atmosphere 
which  pervades  it.  Mr.  Herbert  Spencer  was  once 
advised  by  his  physician  to  live  for  a  while  in  a 
boarding-house  that  he  might  be  rested  mentally  by 
the  light,  cheery,  and  brainless  conversation  at  the 
dinner-table.  He  took  the  advice  but  did  not  stay 
long.  A  lady  who  was  accustomed  to  sit  next  to 
him  at  dinner  was  asked  her  opinion  of  the  house, 
and  spoke  of  it  generally  with  favor.  "  But,"  she 
added,  "there's  a  Mr.  Spencer  here  who  thinks  he 
knows  something  about  science  and  philosophy. 
Why,  I  have  to  correct  him  every  night !  " 

That  is  a  model  of  the  philosophical  boarding- 
house  you  will  often  find  at  Saratoga,  especially 
during  the  many  assemblies  held  at  the  Spa.  But 
there  is  the  sparkle  of  beauty  to  charm  the  soul  of 
wit  in  these  great  resorts.  A  truly  Bostonese  inci- 
dent may  be  in  point  here. 

She  was  a  beautiful  young  lady,  and  as  she  swept 
the  train  of  a  magnificent  evening  gown  across  the 
floor  of  the  dining-hall,  she  suddenly  halted.  Her 


Two  Eventfiil  Summers.  ill 

escort  had  stepped  on  the  train.  He  apologized 
profusely  for  following  so  closely ;  but  she,  with  as 
pretty  a  smile  as  ever  Boston  girl  allowed  to  kiss  the 
dimples  in  her  cheeks,  proved  her  origin  in  the  retort 
gallant:  "That  does  not  signify  proximity;  it  sig- 
nifies distance." 

In  this  year  of  1892,  of  which  I  am  now  writing, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  S.  T.  Stranahan  of  Brooklyn,  with 
their  jolly  and  corpulent  son,  were  among  the  promi- 
nent guests  of  the  United  States.  For  a  number  of 
years  it  has  been  the  custom  of  the  Stranahans  to 
move  out  of  their  Brooklyn  mansion  and  into  a 
States'  cottage  about  the  middle  of  every  July  ;  and 
they  linger  in  Saratoga  until  the  leaves  grow  red  and 
yellow  in  the  kisses  of  the  autumn  sun.  The  elder 
Stranahan  is  one  of  the  few  men  who  is  able  to  know 
that  his  life-work  has  been  appreciated  ;  for  Brook- 
lyn not  only  calls  him  her  "  first  citizen,"  but  has 
erected  a  life-sized  statue  in  bronze  to  the  man  who 
has  done  so  much  for  his  city.  Tennyson's  "Come 
not  when  I  am  dead  "  was  beautifully  obeyed  in  this 
case,  too,  for  among  the  distinguished  citizens 
who  gathered  for  the  occasion,  Mr.  Stranahan 
made  the  living  central-figure,  honored  while  he 
could  feel  the  joy  and  see  the  tokens  of  popular 
admiration. 

The  two  greatest  public  works  of  Brooklyn,  Pros- 
pect Park  and  the  Bridge,  are  largely  due  to  Mr. 
Stranahan's  efforts.  And,  now  that  he  has  retired 
from  active  business,  he  spends  the  evening  of  his 
life  in  noble  efforts  for  the  further  advancement  of 
Brooklyn.  He  is  for  the  greater  New  York.  Some- 


112  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


body  says  that  he  wants  to  become  a  New  Yorker 
without  moving  across  the  bridge. 

Mr.  Stranahan  bears  his  years  lightly  and  well. 
And  while  he  has  done  so  much  for  Brooklyn,  he  is 
a  firm  believer  in  Saratoga,  not  for  society  reasons 
alone,  but  more  especially  for  its  hygienic  virtues. 
It  must  not  be  forgotten  that  Mrs.  Stranahan  al- 
ways accompanies  the  first  citizen  of  Brooklyn,  and 
she  is  a  welcome  visitor,  who  has  a  reputation  of  her 
own  in  a  literary  way  as  the  author  of  a  book  entitled 
Frencli  Pictures,  which  Col.  Fred.  Conkling  told  me 
he  considered  a  monument  of  intellectual  genius. 

Judge  Samuel  Blatchford  and  Mrs.  Blatchford, 
always  inseparable,  were  accustomed  to  spend  the 
month  of  August  at  the  United  States  Hotel,  oc- 
cupying one  of  the  cottages.  The  Judge's  strong, 
kindly  face  has  been  greatly  missed  since  his  death 
in  1893.  An  acquaintance  with  Judge  Blatchford, 
it  has  been  truly  said,  was  a  liberal  education  and  a 
benediction.  Always  unobtrusive,  yet  always  easy 
to  approach,  one  found  him  rich  in  resource,  pleasing 
in  anecdote,  and  possessed  of  a  boundless  human 
sympathy.  He  was  a  great  lawyer  and  a  clear- 
headed judge,  and  his  place  on  the  Supreme  Bench 
was  not  the  only  sphere  he  nobly  filled  ;  for  he  was 
a  devoted  member  of  the  Alpha  Delta  Phi  frater- 
nity, his  connection  with  that  well-known  Greek-let- 
ter order  dating  back  to  his  student  life  in  Columbia 
College  sixty  years  ago. 

Judge  Blatchford  was  born  in  the  city  of  New 
York  on  March  9,  1820.  The  friendship  existing 
between  William  H.  Seward  and  his  father  had  a 


Two  Eventful  Summers.  113 


marked  effect  on  his  career.  He  studied  law  with 
his  father,  and  was  graduated  with  honors  from  Co- 
lumbia College  in  1837.  His  alma  mater  made  him 
LL.D.,  and  one  of  her  trustees,  in  1867.  William 
II.  Seward  was  elected  Governor  in  1839, anc^  as  soon 
as  he  was  installed  into  office  he  appointed  Mr. 
Blatchford  as  his  private  secretary,  and  also  made 
him  military  secretary  of  his  staff. 

But  Mr.  Blatchford  began  his  larger  career  in  1867, 
when  he  was  appointed  by  President  Johnson  as 
United  States  District  Judge  for  the  Southern  Dis- 
trict of  New  York.  On  the  death  of  Judge  John- 
son, in  1878,  Judge  Blatchford  was  appointed  Circuit 
Judge  of  the  United  States  for  the  second  circuit, 
including  New  York,  Connecticut,  and  Vermont,  a 
position  which  he  had  been  tendered  twice  before, 
but  which  he  this  time  accepted.  In  1882,  on  the 
nomination  of  President  Arthur,  Mr.  Blatchford  be- 
came Associate  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
United  States,  and  filled  that  high  office  with  the 
most  distinguished  ability  until  his  lamented  death. 

When  I  write  of  Daniel  Dougherty,  I  write  with 
admiration  in  my  mind  and  love  in  my  heart.  For 
he  was  a  good  personal  friend,  always  true  and  kind, 
as  well  as  great ;  or,  rather,  goodness  and  kindness 
were  among  the  most  conspicuous  elements  of  his 
greatness. 

The  "  silver-tongued  orator,"  as  Mr.  Dougherty 
was  called,  in  deserved  recognition  of  his  eloquence, 
was  born  in  Philadelphia  in  1826,  and  studied  law 
in  the  office  of  the  late  William  Badger.  lie  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1859,  anc^  won  immediate 


114  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


favor  by  his  ability  and  eloquence.  The  two  great 
political  speeches  of  his  life  were  made,  the  one  in 
1880,  when  he  placed  in  nomination  at  Cincinnati 
"  Hancock  the  superb,"  and  the  other  in  1888,  when 
he  nominated  Cleveland  for  President. 

In  his  earlier  life  Mr.  Dougherty  was  a  member  of 
an  amateur  dramatic  society,  among  whose  members 
the  most  prominent  was  Edwin  Forrest  ;  and  it  has 
been  said  that  had  he  not  become  a  brilliant  lawyer, 
he  would  probably  have  become  a  great  actor.  But 
as  Archbishop  Ryan  said  in  his  fitting  and  beautiful 
funeral  discourse :  "  The  actor  is  great  with  other 
men's  thoughts  ;  Mr.  Dougherty  was  great  with  his 
own."  It  would  be  impossible,  indeed,  to  close 
with  anything  more  appropriate  than  by  a  further 
quotation  from  the  Archbishop,  who  spoke  not 
only  as  the  minister  of  religion  but  as  a  personal 
friend  : 

"  You  know  of  the  life  and  goodness  of  the  man,  and 
it  is  not  necessary  for  me  to  go  into  any  details  of  the 
beautiful  sentiment  which  filled  that  heart,  or  to  tell 
you  of  the  eyes  that  reflected  the  eloquence  of  the  man. 
Loyalty  to  truth  is  a  rare  virtue,  and  the  man  who  is 
loyal  to  truth  loves  it  wherever  he  finds  it,  in  friend  or 
foe.  Such  a  man  was  Mr.  Dougherty,  and  he  suffered 
as  such  as  a  man  must  suffer.  I  detest  the  cowardice 
of  immutability,  the  cowardice  which  prevents  a  man 
from  changing  his  public  place,  when  in  his  heart  lie 
feels  that  he  ought  to  change.  Mr.  Dougherty  changed, 
but  who  shall  dare  say  that  it  was  through  mercenary 
motives  ?  What  office  did  he  seek  ?  what  reward  did  he 
ask  ?  President  Buchanan  once  said  :  '  Mr.  Dough- 


DANIEL   DOUGHERTY. 


Two  Eventful  Summers.  115 

erty  is  always  about  during  a  campaign  ;  but  I  never 
see  him  afterward.' 

"  Besides  his  eloquence,  Mr.  Dougherty  possessed 
other  qualities  which  called  for  admiration  :  his  love 
and  loyalty  toward  God.  The  religious  element  is  in 
our  own  nature  as  well  as  the  elements  of  love  and  loy- 
alty. Mr.  Dougherty  was  pure,  honest,  loyal,  not  only 
before  men  but  before  the  All-seeing  Eye.  He  practised 
his  faith,  defended  it  and  suffered  for  it.  He  has  left  to 
the  world  the  example  of  how  a  joyous  man,  a  social 
man,  and  a  public  man  can  be  at  the  same  time  a  relig- 
ious man." 

Miss  Anna  Lament,  in  company  with  Mrs.  La- 
mont  and  Mr.  Lansing  Lament,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  R. 
Jessup,  and  ex-Governor  Baldwin  and  family  of 
Michigan,  were  all  at  the  States  in  the  season  of  '92. 
William  H.  Vandcrbilt,  son  of  Cornelius,  whose 
untimely  death  so  stirred  the  sympathy  of  the  pub- 
lic because  of  the  worth  of  the  young  man,  was 
among  the  junior  representatives  of  wealth  at  Sara- 
toga. 

One  of  the  first  thoughts  coming  to  average  peo- 
ple at  the  time  of  his  death  would  naturally  be  of 
the  millions  of  which  he  lost  the  enjoyment.  But 
that  is  not  the  right  spirit,  nor  is  it  justified  by  the 
facts.  It  is  the  undisputed  testimony  that  the 
young  man  who  died  so  prematurely  was  unaffected, 
straightforward,  manly,  cheerful,  sensible,  and  con- 
siderate of  the  feelings  and  pleasures  of  others. 
His  popularity  and  success  at  school  and  college  is 
in  practical  support  of  this  testimony.  Surely,  a 
man  of  these  qualities  is  eminently  fit  to  be  the  con- 


n6  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

troller  of  an  immense  fortune.  And  may  not  the 
world  pause  for  one  moment  in  the  other  suggested 
lines  of  thought  to  consider  whether  something 
might  not  have  been  gained  to  the  good  of  human- 
ity through  that  great  wealth  could  this  life  which 
is  gone  out  have  been  continued  for  years  to  come. 

There  came  to  the  States  to  pass  the  summer  of 
1892  the  Misses  Julia  and  Meta  Elizabeth  McAllis- 
ter, two  of  the  most  devoted  sisters,  and  enjoying 
the  distinction  of  being  nieces  to  Ward  McAllister. 
Miss  Julia  is  a  woman  of  commanding  presence, 
with  fine  features,  brown  eyes,  dark  brown  hair,  and 
unobtrusive  manners.  She  spends  the  greater  part 
of  her  time  in  a  quiet  corner  of  the  piazza,  either 
reading,  or  busying  herself  with  a  bit  of  fancy  work. 
Miss  Meta  was  really  one  of  the  loveliest  young 
ladies  at  the  States  that  season,  whose  varied  and 
attractive  accomplishments  and  sweetness  of  dispo- 
sition were  only  equalled  by  the  beauty  of  her  face. 
In  November  of  the  same  year,  however,  she  became 
the  wife  of  Mr.  John  Howell  Janeway,  Jr.,  a  son  of 
Surgeon  Janeway  of  the  United  States  Army  ;  and 
I  understand  that  she  is  still  beautiful. 

One  of  the  giants  of  America,  physically,  mentally, 
and  morally  was  Bishop  Phillips  Brooks,  of  whom 
the  London  Times  says  that,  "  since  the  death  of 
Beecher  he  has  held  unchallenged  the  title  of  the 
most  popular  preacher  in  America."  Whatever  I 
might  say  here  would  add  very  little  to  his  already 
matchless  reputation,  which  has  spread  Avhercver 
the  English  language  is  spoken  and  the  influence 
of  the  Episcopal  Church  is  felt.  Phillips  Brooks 


Two  Eventful  Summers.  117 

was  as  well  known  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic 
as  here.  He  preached  in  Westminster  Abbey  and 
other  historic  churches.  A  story  is  told  of  one  of 
his  visits  to  Leeds  which  is  characteristic  of  the 
man.  He  was  with  Rev.  Dr.  McVickar  of  Phila- 
delphia, and  Mr.  Richardson  the  architect  of 
Trinity,  all  big,  broad  men,  not  only  in  stature  but 
in  churchmanship.  There  was  to  be  a  lecture  on 
"America  and  Americans."  The  three  American 
giants  accordingly  went  into  the  hall,  sitting  by 
pre-arrangement  as  far  apart  as  possible.  The 
lecturer  went  on  to  say  that  Americans  were  as  a 
rule  men  of  puny  build,  never  more  than  five  feet 
ten  inches  in  height.  Phillips  Brooks  hereupon 
arose  to  his  full  six  feet,  six  inches  and  said :  "  I 
am  an  average  American  in  height  and  weight.  I 
turn  the  scales  at  250  pounds.  I  hope  if  there  is 
another  American  in  the  house  he  will  vouch  for 
the  truth  of  my  statement."  Then  Mr.  Richardson 
arose  and  made  his  corroborative  speech  ;  then  Dr. 
McVickar.  But  before  the  latter  could  finish  say- 
ing "  I  am  an  American,"  the  audience  burst  into 
a  roar  of  applause  and  laughed  the  lecturer  from 
the  platform. 

But  the  sympathetic  was  even  more  prominent 
in  the  great  preacher  than  the  humorous.  "  A  poor 
woman  living  in  the  parish,"  says  Dr.  McVickar, 
"  was  sick  and  in  distress.  Dr.  Brooks  visited  her 
frequently,  and,  besides  ministering  to  her  spiritual 
wants,  provided  in  a  substantial  way  for  her  physical 
needs.  One  day  he  found  her  more  than  usually 
pale  and  miserable  in  appearance.  Believing  that 


1 1 8  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


out-door  exercise  would  benefit  her,  he  advised  her 
to  go  out  in  the  air  for  recreation.  She  replied 
that  she  could  not  leave  her  sick  baby  behind,  and 
that  she  was  too  weak  to  carry  it.  '  Then  go  out 
for  awhile  and  I  will  mind  the  baby,'  said  the  big- 
hearted  man.  The  gratified  woman  protested,  but 
finally  gave  way  to  his  insistence  ;  and  while  she 
enjoyed  for  several  hours  the  sunlight  and  the 
purer  air  of  the  park,  the  generous  Doctor,  unmind- 
ful of  his  position  as  rector  of  a  fashionable  and 
wealthy  church,  sat  in  a  dingy  and  meanly-furnished 
room  in  a  back  alley,  rocking  the  cradle  in  which 
lay  the  peevish  infant  until  its  mother's  return." 

Truly,  Bishop  Brooks  was  good  as  well  as  great. 
Dr.  Arnot  when  he  laid  down  the  biography  of  Dr. 
James  Hamilton  said  :  "  When  a  good  man  dies  all 
is  not  lost.  His  character  remains  to  enrich  the 
community,  as  certainly  as  the  wealth  of  a  rich  man 
remains  to  enlarge  the  estate  of  his  children."  Phil- 
lips Brooks  has  been  taken  from  us,  but  his  charac- 
ter remains  a  rich  legacy  to  his  myriad  friends, 
to  the  Church,  and  to  the  community. 

Shall  it  not  be  our  part  to  learn  the  valuable 
lessons  of  his  life,  and  seek  earnestly  to  imitate  his 
Christian  faith  and  virtue,  remembering  with  Long- 
fellow that — 

"  Lives  of  great  men  all  remind  us, 
We  can  make  our  lives  sublime, 
And,  departing,  leave  behind  us 
Footprints  on  the  sands  of  Time." 

The  season  of  1893  was  not  a  success  at  the  Spa 


Two  Eventful  Summers.  1 19 

because  of  the  World's  Fair  at  Chicago.  But  the 
old  States  had  its  share  of  summer  guests,  among 
them  being  Mrs.  Edward  Ridley,  of  the  Hotel 
Endicott,  New  York ;  Mrs.  John  PL  Linsly  of  6 
West  50th  street,  New  York;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  S.  G. 
Bogert  with  the  Misses  Bogert ;  Mrs.  E.  J.  King 
with  the  Misses  King ;  David  R.  Randall,  E.  J. 
Slattery,  J.  Warren  Nash,  and  the  Misses  Nash, 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  T.  H.  Burchard,  Mr.  R.  W.  Burnet, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coggeshall  and  family  ;  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Edward  M.  Klemm  and  daughter ;  Mr.  Collis  P. 
Huntington  ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Leopold  Wormser  and 
Miss  Carrie  Wormser  ;  Captain  and  Mrs.  Warren  C. 
Beach  ;  Governor  and  Mrs.  Roswell  P.  Flower,  Mrs. 
E.  K.  Schlcy ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  P.  Wallace  ; 
Hon.  A.  P.  Gorman,  Mr.  A.  P.  Gorman,  Jr.,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  S.  U.  Cadwell,  Miss  Lee,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
James  English,  Hon.  B.  H.  Bristow  and  Mrs. 
Bristow  ;  Mr.  Robert  L.  Cutting  and  Mr.  J.  D.  W. 
Cutting,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  R.  Sayre,  Jr.  of  New- 
ark ;  and  Miss  Matilda  Lisso  of  Natchez,  Mississippi, 
chaperoned  by  Mrs.  James  Seligman. 

Among  the  distinguished  persons  who  visited 
Saratoga  in  the  season  of  1893  were  the  Bishop  of 
New  York,  the  Rt.  Rev.  Dr.  Henry  C.  Potter,  and 
the  Archbishop  of  Zante,  Monseigneur  Dionysius 
Etas.  The  Archbishop  is  accompanied  by  his 
deacon,  Homer  Beratis,  who  acts  in  the  capacity 
of  secretary.  These  ecclesiastics  of  the  Greek 
Church  are  the  guests  of  Bishop  Potter,  and  are 
entertained  in  a  very  hospitable  way  by  Mrs.  John 
W.  Ehninger  at  her  North  Broadway  residence, 


I2O  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

which  is  a  centre  of  art  and  letters.  In  company 
with  Mrs.  Ehninger,  they  visited  several  places  of 
interest  including  the  United  States  Hotel,  where 
I  had  the  exceeding  pleasure  of  shaking  hands 
with  the  whole  distinguished  party.  The  Princess 
of  Spain,  Eulalia,  did  not  visit  Saratoga,  although 
the  Duke  of  Veragua  did  so ;  and  I  shall  yet  have 
something  to  say  about  those  two  famous  foreigners. 

Mrs.  J.  R.  C.  Walker  of  Richmond  with  her 
daughter,  Miss  Annie  Rose  Walker,  spent  the  sum- 
mer here  with  us.  Miss  Annie  is  a  charter  member 
of  the  Society  of  the  Virginia  Colonial  Dames  of 
America,  and  showed  me  the  solid  gold  medal  with 
the  inscription  :  "  Virtutes  majorum  filial  conservi- 
ant " — "  Daughters,  preserve  the  virtues  of  your 
ancestors." 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Isaac  L.  Kip,  with  their  son  William 
V.  B.  Kip,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Philip  Rhinelander,  Mrs. 
Penniman  and  Mrs.  Knower,  Mrs.  Augustus  Schell, 
ex-Secretary  John  W.  Noble  and  Mrs.  Noble,  Mr.  H. 
D.  Brookman  and  family,  Mrs.  Meyers,  Mrs.  Julian 
James,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Louis  Reckendoffer,  Mrs.  Bel- 
den,  Mrs.  Ida  Meyer,  Miss  Irma  Meyer,  Mrs.  M.  W. 
Ruthven,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  A.  Ransom  and  son,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  B.  B.  Knight,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Calvin  E.  Hull, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  B.  Hyde,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fred- 
erick Nathan,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Walter  Hanson  and 
Master  Walter,  Jr. — all  these  were  among  the  guests 
of  the  season  at  the  States.  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop 
Northup  of  Charleston,  S.  C.,  was  also  in  Saratoga 
for  a  time;  and  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Dumond,  their  daugh- 
ter Miss  Ida,  with  Miss  Kissam  formed  a  pretty 


Two  Eventful  Summers.  121 


party.  The  Doctor  has  a  great  pet,  a  tiny  Mexican 
dog,  who  seems  to  know  everything  and  everybody, 
and  bears  with  dignity  the  name  of  Feno.  Mr. 
Henry  A.  Hurlbut  and  son  are  sure  to  be  found  at 
the  States  during  July  and  August  of  each  year. 
Mrs.  Hurlbut  always  accompanied  her  husband  when 
living ;  and  we  were  delighted  to  welcome  the  good 
lady. 

General  Henry  W.  Slocum,  a  brave  veteran  corps 
commander  in  Sherman's  March  to  the  Sea,  came 
from  his  Brooklyn  home  for  a  sojourn  at  the  States, 
after  visiting  his  boyhood  home  in  central  New  York. 
Henry  E.  Gladstone  of  London,  a  nephew  of  the 
English  Premier,  also  tarried  at  our  hostelry  on  his 
journey  through  this  country. 

I  was  charmed  with  a  description  by  Mrs.  Wesley 
Smead  who  had  just  arrived,  and  had  only  a  few  days 
since  returned  from  a  trip  around  the  world.  She 
had  as  a  fellow  passenger  Sir  Edwin  Arnold,  author 
of  The  Light  of  Asia  and  The  Light  of  the  World ; 
and  the  voyage  from  Yokohama,  Japan,  to  Vancou- 
ver Island  was  enlivened  by  Sir  Edwin's  readings 
from  his  own  works,  especially  one  which  has  for  its 
object  the  extolment  of  the  morals  of  Japanese 
women.  It  made  two  hours  of  highly  interesting 
reading. 

A  sentiment  expressed  by  Sir  Edwin  is  in  point 
here : 

"  If  my  death  is  to  be  painful,"  he  said,  "  I  should 
shrink  from  it  as  I  would  from  any  trying  ordeal.  And 
then  I  should  regret  to  die  because  of  the  large  number 
of  dear  friends  I  would  leave  behind.  And  yet,  who 


122  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

has  reached  sixty  years  as  I  have,  without  counting  most 
of  his  friends  on  the  other  side  ?  What  a  joy  it  will  be 
to  meet  them  again." 

Mrs.  Smead,  who  spends  much  time  in  the  open  air, 
has  two  very  warm  friends  in  the  persons  of  Mrs. 
William  Gibson  and  Mrs.  Frazer.  A  group  of  ladies 
always  to  be  seen  doing  fancy  needlework  or  cro- 
chettingare  Mrs.  Linsly,  Mrs.  Belden,  Mrs.  Hooker, 
Mrs.  Bogert,  and  Mrs.  Ellis. 

When  the  engagement  of  Miss  Angle  Laur  to  Mr. 
D.  Wormser  was  definitely  announced,  congratula- 
tions by  telegraph  began  to  pour  in  by  the  score  up 
to  noon  of  the  following  day.  The  young  lady  told 
me  she  had  received  seventy-five  despatches.  Mr. 
Wormser  is  a  wealthy  banker  and  broker ;  keeps 
away  from  Saratoga  most  of  the  time,  but  still 
managing  to  place  his  signature  in  the  States  regis- 
ter at  least  once  a  week.  Miss  Laur  and  Mr. 
Wormser  have  a  host  of  friends  in  Saratoga  who  will 
wish  them  a  whole  world  of  joy  and  prosperity. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reckendoffer  of  New  York,  with 
their  sweet  little  baby,  were  here  all  summer.  Mr. 
Reckendoffer  was  accustomed  to  go  to  the  city  once 
a  week,  returning  always  to  spend  Sunday  with  his 
family.  But  the  most  marked  and  conspicuous  thing 
which  he  did,  and  never  failed  to  do,  was  to  raise 
his  hat  in  deference  to  his  wife  whenever  he  ap- 
proached her.  I  have  always  respected  him  for  this 
exceptional  courtesy  to  his  better  half. 

There  was  great  rejoicing  in  England  as  well  as 
America  over  the  child  born  in  July,  1893,  to  Cap- 


Two  Eventful  Su miners.  123 


tain  and  Mrs.  Ralph  Vivian,  formerly  Mrs.  Marshall 
O.  Roberts,  so  well  and  favorably  known  at  the  Spa. 

Hon.  William  D.  Bishop  of  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  ac- 
companied by  his  charming  wife,  is  a  frequent  visitor 
at  the  States.  Mr.  Bishop  was  one  of  the  youngest 
members  of  Congress  elected  in  1856,  and  afterward 
served  as  Commissioner  of  Patents  under  the  Buch- 
anan administration.  He  is  a  genial  gentleman  and 
one  of  the  ablest  men  in  New  England.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Eugene  Dutilh,  President  of  the  Phoenix  Na- 
tional Bank  of  New  York,  has  made  Saratoga  his 
summer  home  for  an  ordinary  lifetime,  having  spent 
his  first  summer  here  in  1835,  Mrs.  Dutilh  having 
been  here  as  early  as  1827,  and  both  of  them  have 
stopped  at  the  old  States  as  well  as  the  new. 

J.  C.  Cramp,  with  Mrs.  and  Miss  Cramp,  was 
among  our  guests.  Mr.  Cramp  is  one  of  the  owners 
of  the  famous  Cramp  ship-yards.  Lucius  Moore  of 
Hudson  is  an  annual  visitor  at  the  States. 

I  clip  the  following  item  from  a  local  paper : 

"  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  W.  Kenny  of  Boston,  have  been 
quietly  resting  themselves,  and  they  have  brought  with 
them  their  charming  daughter  May,  who  is  one  of  the 
pupils  of  the  convent  of  the  Sacred  Heart  in  Roxbury. 
She  recited  before  Cardinal  Gibbons,  when  he  visited 
Boston  last  year,  and  was  crowned  by  him  with  a  laurel 
wreath.  Mr.  Kenny  is  one  of  the  solid  men  of  the  Hub. 
You  would  not  think  so  to  look  at  him,  a  plain  unassum- 
ing Christian  gentleman  as  he  is.  Mrs.  Kenny  had  a 
kindness  of  heart  and  beauty  of  person  and  character 
which  attracted  all  who  shared  her  coveted  acquaint- 
ance." 


124  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

I  am  sure  that  I  may  add  truthfully  to  the  above 
the  sentiment  of  the  poet : 

"  She  kept  the  gift  of  the  fairy 

The  beautiful  gift  to  the  end, 
And  whenever  her  heart  touched  another 
She  found  the  heart  of  a  friend." 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  C.  Todd  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wm. 
M.  Doyle  were  great  friends  and  regular  summer 
guests  at  the  States.  On  the  occasion  of  the  visit 
of  Mrs.  Todd,  Mrs.  Doyle  and  Miss  Kelly,  the  year 
of  which  I  am  writing,  they  were  not  accompanied 
by  any  gentlemen,  but  so  soon  as  they  arrived  and 
found  me  on  duty,  Mrs.  Todd  wrote  to  her  husband  : 
"  Arrived  safe.  Everything  all  right,  and  Mr. 
Joseph  Smith  at  his  post  ;  and  we  are  quite  at  home 
and  happy."  I  thought  the  allusion  to  me  more 
than  complimentary. 

Mrs.  Frank  Leslie,  who  fills  a  permanent  niche  in 
New  York  life,  was  often  at  the  States.  Probably 
no  living  woman  is  so  familiar  to  the  newspaper 
reading  public.  Vivacious,  wealthy,  and  philanthro- 
pic, she  was  a  lovely  woman.  I  remember  on  one 
occasion  when  she  was  at  Saratoga,  a  person  called 
to  see  her  on  business,  and  Mrs.  Leslie  was  at  the 
time  sitting  on  one  of  the  large  sofas  in  the  corridor 
conversing  with  a  friend.  Excusing  myself,  I  spoke 
softly  saying  that  some  one  was  anxious  to  sec  her 
a  moment.  Just  as  soon  as  she  could  release  her- 
self from  her  friend  without  seeming  abruptness,  the 
kind  lady  did  so,  and  saw  the  poor  working-woman 
who  awaited  her.  The  visitor,  after  transacting  her 


HENRY  A.   HURLBUT. 


Tivo  Eventful  Summers.  125 

business,  accosted  me  and  said  that  she  found  Mrs. 
Leslie  most  approachable  and  charming;  a  perfect 
lady. 

In  April,  '93,  occurred  the  marriage  of  Miss  Maud 
Lorillard,  the  youngest  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Pierre  Lorillard,  to  Mr.  T.  Suffern  Tailer,  the  only 
son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  N.  Tailer. 

The  marriage  of  this  young  lady  brings  vividly  to 
my  mind  that  when  she  was  a  baby  her  parents  were 
at  the  Clarendon  for  the  season.  Meeting  the  nurse 
one  morning,  I  enquired  whose  pretty  baby  it  was. 
After  telling  me,  she  added,  among  other  things 
about  the  little  darling,  the  information  that  the 
baby  was  very  fond  of  flowers.  I  made  it  a  rule, 
after  that,  to  manage  to  get  a  rose,  or  other  kind  of 
flower,  for  Miss  Maud,  whom  I  remember  so  dis- 
tinctly. The  family  remained  about  two  months, 
and  when  they  left  for  home  I  ordered  a  handsome 
bouquet,  which  I  gave  to  the  nurse  for  the  little 
beauty,  with  my  best  wishes. 

In  no  other  watering-place  in  the  world  do  visitors 
have  so  much  amusement  for  nothing  as  at  Saratoga. 
They  will  go  to  all  the  free  hops  and  concerts,  that 
is  the  average  visitor ;  and  then  when  a  benefit 
takes  place  they  are  forgetful  of  those  who  catered 
to  their  pleasure,  and  who  by  this  benefit  expect  a 
little  profit  for  the  service  to  strangers.  It  is  hardly 
fair  for  strangers  to  pre-empt  all  the  chairs  at  the 
piazza  concerts,  pleasing  though  their  attachment  to 
good  music  may  be. 

The  guests  of  the  great  hotels  have  their  rights, 
and  they  should  be  allowed  to  enjoy  undisturbed 


126  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


what  they  pay  for.  Strangers  attending  the  morn- 
ing and  evening  concerts  when  the  hotels  are  gener- 
ally filled  are  asked  whether  they  are  guests  ;  and 
they  most  invariably  reply  in  the  affirmative.  I 
know  that  they  do  not  belong  to  the  house,  except 
in  the  sense  that  they  may  fictitiously  count  them- 
selves guests  while  they  enjoy  gratuitously  all  the 
privileges  of  guests.  I  finally  changed  my  question 
to  this  straight  form  :  "  Are  you  living  in  this 
house?  " 

The  proprietors  of  the  hotel  were  finally  com- 
pelled to  print  the  following  notice  in  the  village 
papers  : 

"  CONCERTS  AT  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

"  In  consequence  of  the  crowded  condition  of  the 
house  and  of  the  strongly  expressed  wish  of  their  guests, 
the  proprietors  of  the  United  States  Hotel  find  them- 
selves compelled  to  announce  that  the  chairs  on  the 
piazza  and  in  parlors  will  be  reserved  during  the  hours 
of  music  for  the  exclusive  use  of  the  guests  of  the  house 
and  such  friends  as  may  be  present  by  invitation." 

My  position  at  the  hotel  was  such  as  to  make  it 
my  duty  to  enforce  the  above  request. 

It  will  be  of  interest  to  insert  the  following  pen- 
pictures  of  some  of  the  cottage  guests  of  Saratoga : 

Ex-Mayor  M.  N.  Nolan  is  the  envied  possessor  of 
an  elegant  place  on  the  corner  of  Circular,  Park,  and 
Regent  streets.  The  large  lawn  south  of  the  chvell- 
ing,  in  which  are  many  old  pines,  attracts  the  eyes 
of  all  passers-by  with  its  velvety  green  and  many 
beds  of  foliage  plants.  Not  the  least  attraction  by 


Two  Eventful  Summers.  127 


any  means  in  the  eyes  of  the  young  people  is  the 
elegant  grass  tennis  court  in  the  farther  and  rear 
end  of  the  lawn.  Not  a  finer  court  can  be  found  in 
town  and  here  the  Misses  Nolan  royally  entertain 
their  many  guests  at  morning  tennis.  Also  a  fine 
croquet  ground  can  be  found  here  and  if  one  is  too 
lazy  for  either,  luxurious  hammocks  are  swung  in- 
vitingly near  while  many  rustic  seats  are  placed  in 
shady  places.  Then  for  those  who  prefer  the  piaz- 
zas, they  can  find  here  the  broadest  and  coolest. 
The  house,  which  is  a  large  brick  structure,  two 
stories  high  and  a  mansard  roof,  is  painted  a  light 
buff,  with  chocolate  trimmings. 

Mrs.  J.  Henry  Hentz  is  greatly  loved  at  the  States. 
She  has  an  interesting  face,  full  of  tender  expression, 
with  a  voice  "  soft,  low  and  sweet."  Is  animated  in 
conversation,  speaking  fluently  several  languages. 
Her  gowns,  laces,  and  jewels  represent  a  fortune. 
She  spends  much  time  in  travel  on  the  Continent, 
and  is  a  great  student. 

Among  the  cottagers  who  have  been  at  the  United 
States  for  some  time  are  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  B.  Hyde, 
of  New  York.  Mr.  Hyde  has  become  prominent 
through  his  long  connection  with  the  Equitable  Life 
Insurance  Company  of  which  he  is  president.  Last 
Saturday  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hyde  were  joined  by  their 
son,  Mr.  James  H.  Hyde,  who  came  up  from  New 
York  with  his  father's  guest,  General  Louis  Fitz- 
gerald. General  Fitzgerald  is  known  throughout  the 
National  Guard  of  the  State  as  the  commandant  of 
the  First  Brigade  of  the  State  Militia,  which  in- 
cludes the  regiments  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn. 


128  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

Among  the  notable  guests  who  are  taking  life 
easy  at  the  Spa  is  Andrew  Carnegie,  the  many-time 
millionaire  from  Pittsburg  and  New  York.  Mr. 
Carnegie  has  just  returned  from  a  lengthy  stay  at 
his  big  hunting  preserves  in  Scotland,  his  native 
heath.  He  came  to  this  country,  and  is  a  shining 
example  of  what  brains  and  well-directed  energy  can 
do  in  the  United  States.  He  is  at  the  head  of  a 
company  which  produces  more  iron  than  any  other 
concern  in  America,  and  their  mills  at  Homestead, 
where  the  big  strike  occurred  a  year  ago,  is  one  of 
the  largest  plants  in  the  world.  Mrs.  Carnegie  ac- 
companies him.  She  is  a  leader  of  fashion  among 
the  elite  New  Yorkers.  The  magnificent  and  spa- 
cious Music  Hall  so  well  known  to  lovers  of  artistic 
music  in  New  York,  was  founded  by  Mr.  Andrew 
Carnegie.  It  is  considered  the  most  beautiful  and 
perfect  opera  and  concert  hall  in  America,  if  not  in 
the  world. 

Mr.  H.  B.  Plant,  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Plant,  ar- 
rived last  evening  in  his  private  car  and  is  registered 
at  the  United  States  Hotel.  Mr.  Plant  is  president 
of  the  Plant  system  of  railways  and  steamship  lines 
and  hotels  in  the  South,  also  the  line  of  steamers 
between  Boston  and  Halifax,  N.  S. 

Mrs.  George  W.  Holland  has  a  sunny  disposition 
and  graciousness  of  manner  which  make  her  one  of  the 
most  courted  young  married  women  at  the  States. 
She  is  a  fluent  talker  in  French,  German  and  Italian 
as  well  as  English,  and  relates  many  interesting 
stories  of  her  travels  around  the  world.  She  is 
petite  and  graceful  and  a  handsome  dresser.  Her 


Two  Eventful  Summers.  129 

husband,  Mr.  George  W.  Holland,  is  very  popular, 
especially  with  the  ladies,  who  enjoy  his  quaint 
humor.  He  is  fine  looking  and  dresses  stylishly. 
When  not  travelling,  their  winter  abode  is  at  the 
Windsor,  New  York. 

Two  young  ladies  whose  movements  are  generally 
watched  by  admiring  eyes,  are  Miss  Fanny  and  Miss 
Isabclle  Goldsmith,  who  are  guests  at  the  hotel, 
and  whose  home  is  in  New  York.  Miss  Fanny  and 
Miss  Isabelle  are  twins  and  always  dress  alike.  Tn 
features,  figure,  and  manners  they  are  exactly  alike, 
and  it  is  a  mystery  to  many  how  their  friends  can 
distinguish  them.  They  are  brunette  beauties,  with 
pleasant  sweet  manners,  bright  and  vivacious  talkers, 
and  graceful  dancers. 

Departing  from  the  custom  of  past  years,  the 
proprietors  of  the  States  will  give  a  hop  in  Sep- 
tember this  season.  The  hop  last  Saturday  night 
was  announced  as  the  last  of  the  season  but  the 
many  guests  wanted  just  one  more,  and  the  oblig- 
ing proprietors  have  yielded  to  their  wishes,  and 
to-morrow  night  a  hop  will  be  held  in  the  ball- 
room. 

An  establishment  that  always  attracts  attention 
and  admiration  is  that  which  C.  A.  Baudouine  pos- 
sesses. He  and  his  family  and  their  friends  go  out 
every  pleasant  day  on  their  magnificent  Brewster 
coach,  which  is  considered  one  of  the  finest  in  New 
York.  It  is  painted  black  with  yellow  running  gear 
and  the  four  handsome  high-stepping  bays  that  draw 
it  are  driven  by  C.  A.  Baudouine,  Jr.  Mr.  Baudouine 
has  nine  horses  in  Saratoga,  and  he  is  also  fre- 


130  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


quently  seen  in  a  Brewster  side-bar  behind  a  fleet 
pair. 

Among  the  cottagers  who  sometimes  stay  till  Sep- 
tember is  Mrs.  Spencer  Trask.  The  Trasks  enter- 
tain with  almost  queenly  prodigality,  and  the  home 
is  one  of  the  most  palatial  country  houses  in  the 
world.  A  pretty  story  is  told  of  how  their  house 
came  to  be  called  the  "  Yaddo."  A  few  years  ago, 
when  the  Trask  family  first  built  here,  there  was  a 
dear  little  girl,  the  only  remaining  daughter,  who 
loved  the  place  and  called  it  "  Yaddo  "  from  the 
queer  shadows  cast  by  the  tall  trees  which  sur- 
rounded the  house.  After  a  while  the  place  came 
to  be  called  Yaddo,  and  still  remains  Yaddo,  though 
the  original  house  is  burned  down,  and  a  new  one 
has  taken  the  place. 

Our  Bradley-Martins  are  now  allied  with  the  Eng- 
glish  nobility.  Their  daughter,  Miss  Cornelia  Brad- 
ley-Martin, met  the  fourth  Earl  of  Craven,  William 
George  Robert,  in  Scotland  in  1892,  and  in  1893 
became  his  bride,  and  so  the  Countess  of  Craven. 
The  marriage  was  attended  with  all  the  pomp  and 
ceremony  which  that  important  and  international 
function  deserved.  Society  evidently  regarded  it  as 
the  most  stupendous  event  which  has  occurred  in 
this  part  of  the  world  for  years,  and  had  prepared 
to  honor  it  accordingly.  The  entire  wealth  and 
fashion  of  the  town  were  there  to  witness  the  cere- 
mony, and  every  part  of  the  church  was  crowded 
with  invited  guests. 

In  subdued  contrast  to  the  Bradley-Martin  wed- 
ding of  the  same  year,  was  the  marriage  of  Miss 


Two  Eventful  Summers.  131 

Maude  D'Angelus  Urmy  of  Staten  Island  to  Mr.  S. 
S.  Vreeland  of  New  York,  which  was  quietly  cele- 
brated in  the  Astor  suite  of  the  Waldorf.  But  what 
makes  me  refer  to  this  particular  affair  is  that  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Vreeland  came  directly  to  the  United  States 
Hotel,  and  the  announcement  of  their  marriage  to- 
gether with  their  photos  appeared  in  the  New  York 
Herald  on  the  very  evening  of  their  arrival.  After 
they  had  taken  supper,  and  had  occupied  one  of  our 
small  parlors,  a  lady  guest  came  up  to  me  and  said 
she  was  satisfied  the  couple  who  had  just  entered 
were  the  same  who  had  recently  been  united  at  the 
Waldorf,  and  that  she  recognized  them  from  their 
pictures  in  the  New  York  Herald.  After  awhile,  going 
into  the  room  where  they  were  sitting,  I  inciden- 
tally referred  to  the  matter;  and  they  were  greatly 
amused,  but  agreeably  so,  at  the  lady's  remarks. 

One  incident  of  1893  is  certainly  a  pleasant  one 
for  all  Americans.  Mrs.  Julia  D.  Grant,  widow  of 
the  ex-President,  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Nellie  Grant 
Sartoris  and  her  children,  Misses  Vivian  and  Rose- 
mary, and  Master  Algernon  E.  Sartoris,  the  whole 
party  escorted  while  at  the  States  by  General  Charles 
Furlong,  formerly  of  General  Grant's  staff,  arrived  at 
the  hotel  to  remain  a  week,  and  afterward  to  visit 
Mt.  McGregor,  the  death-place  of  her  husband.  The 
party  occupied  a  private  parlor,  and  all  conveniences 
were  at  their  command.  But  during  their  stay,  the 
leader  of  the  Band,  Professor  Stub,  intending  a  na- 
tional compliment  to  young  Sartoris,  asked  him  if 
he  would  like  the  band  to  play  "  God  Save  the 
Queen."  He  instantly  but  politely  responded  :  "  I 


132  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

am  an  American,  and  I  'd  rather  hear  '  The  Star 
Spangled  Banner.'  " 

It  seems  to  me  that  the  door  should  not  close  upon 
this  year  of  1893  without  an  allusion  to  ex-President 
Hayes,  who  was  a  frequent  and  honored  visitor  at 
the  States,  and  whose  death  occurred  before  the 
year  had  gone. 

While  Mr.  Hayes  was  President  of  the  United 
States — and  in  that  capacity,  as  in  all  others,  he  was 
good  and  substantial  rather  than  great  and  brilliant 
—he  and  Mrs.  Hayes  were  pointed  out  as  models 
of  what  a  husband  and  wife  ought  to  be.  And  when 
she  came  to  die  in  1889,  her  greatest  regret  was 
that  she  should  have  to  leave  her  husband.  She 
had  a  premonition  that  she  was  going  to  die,  and 
had  arranged  all  her  affairs  long  before.  "  Now," 
said  she,  "  when  I  am  stricken  with  paralysis  as  I 
believe  I  shall  be,  I  may  not  be  able  to  speak.  But 
I  may  be  able  to  hear.  You  may  ask  me  then 
whether  my  mind  is  serene  and  clear,  whether  I  am 
at  ease  and  free  from  pain.  For  the  answer  to  these 
questions  I  will  press  your  hand."  The  pre-arranged 
token  held  good  at  the  last  crucial  moment ;  for 
when  the  ex-President  said  :  "  Wife,  dear,  are  you  at 
ease,  is  your  mind  clear  and  serene,"  he  was  rejoiced 
to  feel  the  pressure  of  the  hand  that  told  him  all  was 
well.  No  wonder  that  after  such  a  life  and  such  a 
death  the  last  four  years  have  been  lonely  ones  for 
Mr.  Hayes.  No  wonder  he  said  among  his  last  dying 
words  :  "  I  know  I  am  going  where  Lucy  is."  And 
he  could  indeed  have  said  with  another  in  a  like 
experience : 


RICHARD  V.    HARNETT. 


Two  Eventful  Summers.  133 

"  She  was  a  maiden  for  a  man  to  love  ; 

She  was  a  woman  for  a  husband's  life — 
One  that  had  learned  to  value  far  above 

The  name  of  Love  the  sacred  name  of  Wife." 

I  remember  finding  on  the  front  piazza  a  lady's 
fur  cape,  very  costly  ;  I  placed  it  in  my  locker,  and 
after  a  short  time  the  owner  turned  up  in  the  person 
of  Mrs.  R.  V.  Harnett.  At  that  time  I  did  not  know 
either  Mr.  or  Mrs.  Harnett  personally,  but  I  often 
saw  them  passing  to  and  fro  through  the  hall,  and  it 
was  pleasant  to  observe  them  sitting  quietly  together 
on  the  front  piazza,  every  evening,  enjoying  each 
other's  society. 

It  was  not  long  before  we  became  acquainted,  and 
I  could  very  soon  count  them  as  being  among  my 
best  and  truest  friends,  and  I  may  be  pardoned  for 
this  simple  allusion. 

Mr.  Harnett  is  in  the  prime  of  life ;  he  occupies 
a  prominent  social  position,  is  a  gentleman  of  high 
character  and  rugged  integrity,  a  prince  among  his 
contemporaries  in  the  metropolis.  By  force  of  his 
merits  he  won  his  way  to  the  front  rank  in  his  line  of 
business,  and  secured  for  himself  patronage  both 
lucrative  and  honorable. 

Mrs.  Harnett  is  the  impersonation  of  grace,  with 
a  sweet  face  always  wreathed  in  smiles.  Perfect 
taste  is  stamped  upon  her  becoming  toilettes  and  her 
jewels  are  marvels  of  elegance.  She  is  the  idol  of 
her  dignified  and  happy  husband. 

Hon.  John  Forrest  Dillon,  of  New  York,  and 
family  were  former  guests  at  the  United  States  and 
were  warmly  welcomed  by  their  legion  of  admiring 


134  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

friends.  The  Dillons  were  greatly  missed  at  the 
States. 

Two  names  occur  to  me  which  I  unintentionally 
overlooked  when  speaking  of  the  guests  at  the 
Clarendon  twenty-five  years  ago.  They  are  those 
of  Honorable  Charles  O'Conor  and  Judge  Henry 
Eugene  Davies.  These  two  eminent  men  were 
frequent  visitors  at  Saratoga,  and  put  up  at  the 
Clarendon  Hotel,  back  in  the  Sixties.  They  were 
generally  at  the  Spa  about  the  same  time  and  were 
great  friends  socially ;  they  would  often  wander  off 
and  take  long  strolls  together. 

Mrs.  O'Conor  spent  some  time  at  the  Clarendon 
also,  and  was  accompanied  by  her  son  by  a  former 
husband,  Mr.  McCracken.  In  July,  1877,  I  met 
young  McCracken  up  on  the  Round  Tower  of  Wind- 
sor Castle,  in  England.  He  was  on  his  way  to 
Rome,  where  I  afterwards  learned  he  was  taken 
sick,  and  died  on  Italian  soil.  Although  his  life  was 
short,  it  was  so  completely  filled  with  good  deeds 
that  we  would  not  be  able  to  enumerate  them  here. 

Mrs.  O'Conor  was  formerly  Miss  Cornelia  Liv- 
ingston. Her  life  was  filled  with  so  much  bright- 
ness and  sweetness  it  can  never  be  effaced  from  the 
memory  of  those  who  knew  her.  Surrounded  with 
all  that  wealth  and  affection  could  bestow  to  make 
life  worth  living,  Mrs.  O'Conor  went  to  her  rest 
May  12,  1874,  just  ten  years  before  her  husband. 

Mr.  O'Conor  subsequently  went  to  Nantucket, 
Mass.,  £nd  erected  a  house,  in  1881,  with  a  fireproof 
library  adjoining.  He  resided  here  until  his  death 
on  May  12,  1884. 


Two  Eventful  Summers.  135 

I  append  here  Mr.  O'Conor's  beautiful  tribute  to 
Nicholas  Hill,  which  is  unsurpassed  in  the  language 
of  just  and  appropriate  eulogy: 

"  When  Nicholas  Hill  was  summoned  from  earth, 
though  he  had  reached  only  his  fifty-third  year,  he  had 
confessedly  attained  the  first  place,  not  only  at  his  own 
splendid  bar,  the  bar  of  Albany,  but  the  bar  of  the 
State.  A  purity  of  life  that  knew  no  blemish  ;  an  integ- 
rity that  no  man  ever  impeached  ;  a  love  of  justice  that 
shone  out  in  every  word  he  uttered  as  an  advocate  or  as 
an  adviser  ;  a  calm,  clear-sighted,  investigating  intellect, 
ripened  to  the  fullest  maturity  and  energy  by  fixed  hab- 
its of  intense  application,  which  never  left  in  any  case  a 
relevant  fact  undiscovered  or  overlooked  a  pertinent 
legal  principle  ;  these  were  some  of  the  qualities  which 
secured  Nicholas  Hill  the  applause  of  all,  and  the  un- 
hesitating confidence  of  our  highest  tribunals." 

There  came  a  time  when  Charles  O'Conor  went  out 
from  among  his  professional  brethren  never  to  return 
to  them.  But  there  is  wafted  to  his  tomb,  in  a  gen- 
tle requiem  to  his  memory,  his  own  beautiful  votive 
offering  to  the  memory  of  Nicholas  Hill,  those  ever- 
living  words  that  breathe  :  "  These  ^Mere  qualities 
which  secured  Nicholas  Hill  the  applause  of  all  and 
the  unhesitating  confidence  of  our  highest  tribunals." 

I  might  say  here  briefly  of  Judge  Henry  E. 
Davies  what  Shakespeare  said  of  Brutus : 

"  His  life  was  gentle  ;  and  the  elements 
So  mixed  in  him,  that  Nature  might  stand  up 
And  say  to  all  the  world,  '  This  was  a  man  ! ' ' 

One  of  Judge  Davies'  sons  married  Miss  Roken- 


1 36  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga . 

baugh,  the  accomplished  daughter  of  Samuel  H.  Ro- 
kenbaugh  of  New  York,  and  whenever  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Davies  visit  Saratoga  they  are  sure  to  hunt  me  up. 
Mrs.  Davies  never  tires  of  talking  of  the  charming 
times  she  used  to  have  at  the  Clarendon  when  she 
was  a  girl.  Her  father,  who  is  well  advanced  in 
years,  still  comes  to  Saratoga.  His  son  also  drops 
in  upon  us  and  spends  about  one  month  at  the 
States  every  season. 

The  widow  of  "  Little  Mac,"  as  General  George 
B.  McClellan  was  often  called  by  his  soldiers,  with 
whom  he  was  popular,  is  less  heard  of  than  any  of 
the  widows  of  the  great  generals  of  the  war.  It  is 
not  because  she  is  a  recluse,  but  owing  entirely  to 
the  fact  that  she  is  retiring  in  disposition  and 
shrinks  from  publicity.  One  cannot  see  Mrs.  Mc- 
Clellan without  conjuring  up  the  scenes  which  oc- 
curred when  her  husband  had  command  of  the  army 
of  the  Potomac.  She  was  then  a  young  and  hand- 
some woman,  full  of  hope  and  ambition,  and  not 
at  all  vain  because  many  in  the  North  called  her 
husband  the  "Napoleon"  of  the  war. 

Those  who  knew  her  then  agree  that  she  was 
most  attractive,  and  just  the  woman  for  a  great 
commander's  wife.  And  when  the  storm  gathered 
over  her  husband's  head,  and  the  decree  came  that 
he  should  surrender  his  command,  he  found  his  best 
friend,  his  truest  comforter,  in  his  faithful  and  de- 
voted wife. 

Mrs.  McClellan  has  been  a  prime  favorite  for 
many  seasons  in  social  life  at  the  United  States 
Hotel,  having  a  host  of  old  friends  and  winning 


Two  Eventful  Summers.  1 37 


many    new    ones    by    her    sociability    and    attrac- 
tiveness. 

General  Schofield  brought  his  bride  to  the  United 
States,  but  remained  for  a  short  time  only.  I  notice 
the  following  concerning  the  General  with  much 
pleasure  : 

"  During  a  spirited  skirmish  in  southern  Tennessee 
early  in  the  war,  a  Federal  officer  was  raising  a  tin  cup 
of  water  to  his  lips,  when  a  Confederate  bullet  passed 
through  the  cup.  Utterly  unmoved,  the  officer  hurried 
the  cup  to  his  lips,  and  eagerly  quaffed  the  rapidly 
escaping  water.  The  officer  was  John  McAllister  Scho- 
field, who  will  retire  this  month  as  commander  of  the 
United  States  army,  and  the  incident  is  a  good  illustra- 
tion of  the  courage  of  the  grizzled  veteran,  and  his  cool- 
ness under  fire." 

John  D.  Rockefeller  was  sitting  on  the  front  piazza 
of  the  hotel  conversing  with  a  friend,  and  our  detec- 
tive asked  me  if  I  wanted  to  see  one  of  the  richest 
men  in  the  world.  On  my  replying  in  the  affirma- 
tive we  went  out  on  the  piazza  and  he  then  said, 
"  There  is  John  D.  Rockefeller."  Had  the  opportu- 
nity offered  I  would  have  been  pleased  to  introduce 
myself  to  him,  and  I  have  no  doubt  I  would  have 
received  a  courteous  welcome,  for  courtesy,  I  am 
informed,  is  a  distinguishing  trait  in  the  character 
of  the  "  Petroleum  Prince,"  as  he  is  called.  I  ob- 
served that  he  was  plainly  dressed,  of  a  little  above 
the  average  height,  well  proportioned,  weighing 
probably  about  one  hundred  and  eighty  pounds,  with 
an  intelligent  and  pleasant  countenance,  fair  com- 


138  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

plexion,  sandy  hair  and  moustache  intermixed  with 
gray,  a  somewhat  prominent  nose,  mild  gray  eyes 
and  an  agreeably  expressive  mouth.  Mr.  Rocke- 
feller at  first  sight  scarcely  looks  his  age,  but  on  a 
closer  scrutiny  it  can  be  seen  that  the  care  and 
thought  necessary  in  his  vast  business  undertakings 
have  left  their  impress  on  a  strongly  marked  counte- 
nance, and  then  he  may  be  fairly  guessed  to  have 
celebrated  his  semi-centennial. 

Mrs.  Rockefeller  is  the  leading  spirit  in  many  local 
benevolent  movements  in  Cleveland,  where  she  lives, 
and  the  poor  of  the  city  have  many  reasons  to  re- 
joice at  a  prosperity  which  has  given  the  means  to 
relieve  much  distress  and  give  comfort  to  many 
homes. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rockefeller  have  four  children ; 
quiet  and  domesticated,  they  are  reared  precisely  as 
the  children  of  other  refined  and  well-to-do  Ameri- 
can citizens  are  reared,  and  a  broad,  generous,  and 
unheralded  charity  distinguishes  all  the  members  of 
this  family.  The  Rockefeller  house  is  on  Euclid 
Avenue,  Cleveland,  and  is  surrounded  by  beautiful 
grounds.  Perhaps  no  city  in  the  United  States  can 
boast  as  handsome  an  avenue.  The  residences  are 
principally  detached  buildings,  standing  in  their  own 
grounds  and  imparting  to  the  avenue  the  appearance 
of  a  drive  through  a  richly  cultivated  park. 

Isaac  Newton  Phelps,  an  old  New  Yorker,  was 
also  an  old  Saratoga  guest.  He  was  highly  esteemed, 
liberal  in  his  benefactions  ;  a  member  of  the  Union 
Club  in  the  city  of  New  York.  Mr.  Phelps  was  twice 
married  ;  his  first  wife  was  Miss  Tusk  of  Connecticut, 


Two  Eventful  Summers.  139 


by  whom  he  had  one  daughter  who  married  Anson 
Phelps  Stokes.  His  second  wife  was  the  widow  of 
Joseph  Maulin  of  Troy,  N.  Y. ;  her  maiden  name  was 
Miss  Anna  F.  Swartwout,  the  daughter  of  Henry 
Swartwout.  Mrs.  Isaac  N.  Phelps  believes  in  Sara- 
toga as  a  summer  residence,  and  in  the  invigorating, 
dry  mountain  air  her  health  is  always  good. 

Mrs.  Phelps  is  a  handsome  woman  of  commanding 
presence,  and  she  knows  how  to  dress  to  perfection. 
Her  stately  figure  is  always  richly  and  becomingly 
gowned.  She  comes  to  the  hotel  quite  often,  driv- 
ing down  from  her  cottage  in  a  victoria,  to  visit 
guests  stopping  at  the  States.  Mrs.  Phelps  is  idol- 
ized by  a  choice  coterie  of  friends  who  are  sure  to  be 
found  in  Saratoga  every  season.  Between  this  esti- 
mable lady  and  the  writer  there  exists  a  long  time 
friendship. 

The  memory  of  the  late  Henry  Swartwout  will  be 
lovingly  honored  by  his  two  daughters,  Mrs.  W. 
Jerome  Green  of  Utica,  and  Mrs.  Isaac  N.  Phelps, 
who  will  present  to  Grace  Episcopal  Church  of  Utica 
a  beautiful  baptismal  font. 

In  this  connection  I  would  mention  another  splen- 
did gift  made  by  Mr.  George  P.  Bliss,  of  New  York, 
who,  with  his  family,  is  one  of  our  most  valued 
summer  guests. 

Mr.  Bliss  will  present  to  the  town  of  North- 
ampton, Mass.,  his  birthplace,  a  granite  church 
costing  more  than  $100,000,  to  be  entirely  built, 
furnished  and  given  to  St.  John's  Episcopal  parish 
by  him.  This  is  certainly  most  touching  and  beauti- 
ful. Mr.  Bliss's  genius  as  a  financier  has  won  him 


140  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


the  admiration  of  his  commercial  cotemporaries,  but 
a  higher  place,  that  in  the  hearts  of  the  people, 
he  has  secured  by  his  broad  philanthropy  and  his 
magnificent  gift  to  the  place  where  he  first  saw  the 
light. 

"  A  wit 's  a  feather,  and  a  chief  a  rod  : 

An  honest  man  's  the  noblest  work  of  God." 
So  sang  the  poet  and  they  are  the  truest  words  that 
ever  human  tongue  or  pen  has  given  to  the  world. 

Marshall  P.  Wilder  was  a  frequent  guest  in  Sara- 
toga, where  he  has  a  host  of  friends.  He  is  get- 
ting along  nicely  in  the  amusement  world,  and 
much  of  his  success  is  probably  due  to  the  fact  that 
he  never  speaks  ill  of  any  one.  I  have  heard  ex- 
periments deliberately  tried  upon  him  by  half  a 
dozen  people  to  get  him  to  speak  against  some  one 
whose  name  was  brought  into  discussion  or  to  agree 
to  some  ill-natured  speech  by  even  a  nod  of  his 
head  ;  but  the  little  fellow  was  either  too  good  or 
too  shrewd  to  be  drawn  into  the  trap.  With  such 
a  disposition  it  is  impossible  for  him  to  make 
enemies  and  everybody  is  inclined  to  like  him. 

Last  year  we  had  with  us  Hon.  Thomas  W. 
Palmer,  of  Detroit,  Mich.,  ex-Minister  to  Spain 
and  World's  Fair  Commissioner.  Mrs.  Palmer 
accompanied  him  together  with  their  pretty  little 
adopted  son  brought  from  Spain.  He  was  just 
five  years  old,  dressed  in  the  style  of  Spanish  boys, 
but  his  hair  was  separated  behind  his  head,  braided 
and  tied  with  ribbons,  so  like  a  girl's,  he  was  often 
taken  for  one.  He  was  a  very  interesting  child, 
indeed,  and  spent  a  great  deal  of  time  with  me. 


ROBERT  L.   CUTTING. 


Two  Eventful  Summers,  141 


His  governess  came  from  Mexico  ;  she  was  of  rather 
prepossessing  appearance  with  jet  black  hair  reach- 
ing to  her  knees,  high  cheek  bones  and  very  dark 
eyes. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  M.  Pullman  were  annual 
visitors  at  the  Queen  of  Spas,  and  their  names  are 
to  be  found  on  the  register  of  the  States  when  in 
Saratoga.  They  are  elegant  people,  refined,  digni- 
fied, and  rather  reserved.  Mr.  Pullman  is  an  example 
of  the  possibilities  confronting  poor  young  men. 
Of  honorable  ambition  and  relentless  energy,  zeal- 
ous in  his  calling  and  in  the  great  enterprises  of 
which  he  has  been  the  conspicuous  and  leading 
figure,  contributing  to  its  advancement,  enriching 
it  by  his  genius,  and  elevating  it  by  his  industry. 
To-day  he  is  known  not  only  in  his  own  country 
but  in  Europe  as  the  "  palace  car  king." 

Mr.  Pullman  is  a  good  liver,  a  gracious  entertainer, 
and  a  pleasant  companion.  A  man  possessed  of  a 
great  deal  of  common  sense  and  sound  judgment, 
never  loses  his  head,  and,  to  use  the  words  of  John 
Randolph,  he  is  as  cool  as  "  the  centre  seed  of  a 
cucumber." 

I  quote  the  following,  taken  from  the  Chicago 
News  Record  : 

"  I  have  known  George  M.  Pullman  a  good  many  years. 
He  is  a  proud  man — that  is  to  say,  he  is  proud  of  one 
thing,  and  that  is  not  his  riches  or  his  success.  The 
one  thing  he  is  proud  of  and  which  he  loves  to  talk 
about  is  that  he  was  a  '59er  ;  that  lie  was  one  of  the 
number  who  made  their  way  across  the  plains  thirty- 
three  years  ago  in  search  of  fortunes  in  the  far  wild 


142  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


West.  Pullman  likes  nothing  better  than  to  talk  of 
those  times,  and  he  has  gathered  together  all  the  litera- 
ture bearing  upon  the  early  scenes  in  which  he  partici- 
pated. The  other  day  I  gave  him  an  old  Denver  paper 
in  which  there  was  a  local  item  about  George  M.  Pull- 
man's having  bought  a  horse.  Why,  the  tears  came 
right  up  into  his  eyes  ;  he  was  all  broken  up.  He  does  n't 
care  a  fig  about  what  the  newspapers  have  to  say  of 
him  now,  but  he  hangs  with  rapture  over  any  old-time 
weekly  that  has  a  line  in  it  about  him  and  his  early 
struggles.  He  must  have  a  boxful  of  these  old  prints, 
for  he  collects  them  assiduously  and  preserves  them 
with  real  tenderness." 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  E.  Arnold,  of  Albany,  come 
regularly  to  Saratoga,  but  they  feel  more  at  home 
at  the  Grand  Union  than  elsewhere.  Mr.  Arnold 
is  President  of  the  electric  road  which  runs  its  cars 
to  Saratoga  Lake  and  also  the  Geyser.  He  is  a 
very  friendly  man,  seems  to  be  in  perfect  health 
and  I  would  say  he  does  n't  know  what  the  taste  of 
drugs  is  like.  He  is  a  man  below  the  medium 
height.  In  addition  to  his  good  health  he  has  a 
comfortable  fortune,  a  beautiful  home,  a  handsome 
wife  and  a  lovely  young  daughter,  little  Miss  Bertha, 
who  is  just  too  sweet  for  anything.  Mrs.  Arnold 
is  an  expert  whip  and  she  can  hold  the  ribbons 
with  perfect  ease  over  the  backs  of  a  pair  of  high 
steppers,  as  gracefully  as  if  she  was  entertaining 
friends  in  a  drawing-room. 

Mrs.  Dr.  Caldwell,  whose  New  York  home  is  the 
Brunswick,  enjoys  a  delightful  summer  outing  at  the 
States.  Mrs.  Caldwell  is  a  lady  of  marked  refine- 


Two  Eventful  Summers.  143 


ment,  with  mild,  gentle  manners.  She  is  a  wealthy 
widow,  and  wears  many  handsome  gowns  and  costly 
jewels  ;  she  wins  new  friends  wherever  she  goes. 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Philip  H.  Brown,  Jr.,  of  Cummings 
Point,  Stamford,  Conn.,  were  pleasantly  domiciled 
here  this  season.  The  Doctor  was  seeking  rest,  for 
he  is  a  very  busy  man  when  at  home.  However,  he 
finds  time  to  spend  one  month  at  the  Spa,  accompa- 
nied by  Mrs.  Brown.  The  two  are  hardly  ever  apart 
and  they  can  be  found  sitting  on  one  of  the  large  sofas 
in  the  ladies'  entrance,  which  seems  to  be  a  particu- 
larly attractive  spot  to  them  for  it  was  there  I  first  met 
this  delightful  couple  and  formed  a  friendship  that 
afterward  ripened  into  the  most  pleasant  relations. 

Judge  Latrobe  of  Baltimore  and  Wilson  G.  Hunt 
of  New  York  were  welcome  additions  to  summer 
society  here,  and  Gilbert  S.  Coddington,  Esquire,  is 
at  the  Windsor  Hotel.  Mr.  Coddington  is  a  man  of 
reserve  force.  His  manner  is  that  of  the  polished 
gentleman  of  the  school  between  the  extremely 
modern  and  the  old.  He  is  quiet  and  dignified,  yet 
at  the  same  time  fond  of  society  ;  is  well  off,  and 
belongs  to  our  smartest  set. 

Hon.  William  Walter  Phelps  never  missed  coining 
to  Saratoga  unless  he  was  abroad.  A  well-known 
public  man  said  not  long  ago  he  did  not  like  Mr. 
Phelps  because  he  was  too  affected.  He  never  could 
stand  a  man  who  wore  bangs. 

There  was  as  little  affectation  about  Judge  Phelps 
as  any  man  I  ever  knew.  He  wore  his  hair  down 
over  his  forehead  to  hide  an  ugly  scar. 

In    1889,  when    New  York  society  leaders  were 


144  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


searching  for  ancestors,  and  great  excitement  was 
caused  by  the  dilemma  confronting  the  Centennial 
Ball  Committee,  it  was  stated  that  Mr.  W.  J.  Arkell 
met  Ward  McAllister  at  Chauncey  M.  Depew's 
house  and  availed  himself  of  that  very  favorable  op- 
portunity to  assure  the  leader  of  the  Four  Hundred 
that  if  he  gave  him  his  own  picture  and  the  pictures 
of  his  fashionable  army  for  publication,  that  he — 
that  is  to  say,  Mr.  Arkell — would  be  able  to  make 
his  eternal  fortune.  Mr.  McAllister  responded  that 
if  he  attempted  to  point  out  the  Four  Hundred  it 
would  create  greater  excitement  than  had  been 
aroused  over  the  selection  of  ladies  with  ancestors 
for  the  opening  quadrille  at  the  Centennial  Ball.  In 
fact,  he  said  he  did  not  know  who  the  Four  Hun- 
dred were.  As  for  furnishing  his  picture  for  publi- 
cation, Mr.  McAllister  said  that  he  had  never  done 
anything  of  the  kind  and  did  n't  care  to  begin  now. 
As  Mr.  Arkell's  journalistic  idea  was  dissolving  alto- 
gether, Mr.  Depew  came  to  the  rescue,  and  assured 
him  that  he  would  secure  Mr.  McAllister's  picture 
and  furnish  it  for  publication  himself. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Storm,  of  New  York,  occu- 
pied for  several  summers  a  parlor  suite  in  Cottage 
Row ;  but  for  some  reason  they  do  not  come  to 
Saratoga  any  more.  The  hotel  and  the  Spa  can  ill 
afford  to  lose  as  patrons  such  charming  people  as  the 
Storms.  They  were  important  factors  in  the  pleas- 
ant social  circle  at  the  States,  and  were  sure  to  meet 
each  season  the  Morosini's ;  the  two  families  were 
great  friends  and  usually  sat  together  on  the  piazza 
during  the  evening  concerts. 


Two  Eventful  Summers.  145 

Mr.  Storm  was  a  notable  horseback  rider,  espe- 
cially so  in  the  early  mornings,  sometimes  going  as 
far  as  Mount  McGregor.  He  was  an  excellent 
mount  and  seemed  to  enjoy  life  hugely  when  in  the 
saddle.  I  often  wonder  if  Mr.  Storm  remembers 
how  we  became  acquainted,  and  I  hope  I  will  never 
forget  the  many  kindnesses  shown  me  since  that 
time  by  this  delightful  gentleman  and  his  gracious 
wife. 

Dryden  sang  in  poetic  verse  the  following  lines, 
which  quite  complete  my  brief  allusion  to  my  much 
valued  friend : 

"  Whate'er  he  did  was  done  with  so  much  ease, 
In  him  alone  't  was  natural  to  please." 

Apropos,  the  autograph  of  Mrs.  George  Storm, 
written  in  my  diary  during  the  season  of  1888,  lies 
before  me. 

In  this  connection  I  would  say  that  few  people 
really  realize  the  true  worth  of  friendship.  The 
word  friendship  or  friend  is  often  misapplied.  An 
acquaintance  is  not  a  friend.  It  is  only  in  the  trying 
hours  of  our  life  that  we  learn  who  our  friends  really 
are.  Friendship  is  a  sacred  something  that  has  its 
seat  in  the  heart.  It  is  as  scarce  and  as  precious  as 
a  jewel.  Its  worth  cannot  be  estimated.  It  has  no 
market  value  upon  its  face. 

The  following  definition  of  a  true  gentleman  will 
not  be  out  of  place  here  : 

"  He  is  above  a  low  act.  He  cannot  stoop  to  commit 
a  fraud.  He  invades  no  secret  in  the  keeping  of  an- 


146  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


other.  He  takes  selfish  advantage  of  no  man's  mistakes. 
He  is  ashamed  of  inuendoes.  He  uses  no  ignoble 
weapons  in  controversy.  He  never  stabs  in  the  dark. 
He  is  not  one  thing  to  a  man's  face  and  another  at  his 
back.  If  by  accident  he  comes  into  possession  of  his 
neighbor's  counsels,  he  passes  them  into  instant  oblivion. 
He  bears  sealed  packages  without  tampering  with  the 
wax.  Papers  not  meant  for  his  eye,  whether  they  flutter 
in  at  the  window,  or  lie  open  before  him  in  unguarded 
exposure,  are  secret  to  him.  He  profanes  no  privacy  of 
another  however  the  sentry  sleeps.  Bolts  and  bars, 
locks  and  keys,  bonds  and  securities,  notices  to  tres- 
passers, are  not  for  him.  He  may  be  trusted  out  of 
sight — near  the  thinnest  partition — anywhere.  He  buys 
no  office,  he  sells  none,  intrigues  for  none.  He  would 
rather  fail  of  his  rights  than  win  them  through  dishonor. 
He  will  eat  honest  bread.  He  tramples  on  no  sensitive 
feelings.  He  insults  no  man.  If  he  has  a  rebuke  for 
another  he  is  straightforward,  open  and  manly.  He 
cannot  descend  to  scurrility.  Billingsgate  does  not  lie 
on  his  track.  Of  woman  and  to  her,  he  speaks  with  de- 
cency and  respect.  In  short,  whatever  he  judges  hon- 
orable he  practises  toward  everyone.  He  is  not  always 
dressed  in  broadcloth.  '  Some  people,'  says  a  distin- 
guished bishop,  'think  a  gentleman  means  a  man  of 
independent  fortune — a  man  who  fares  sumptuously 
every  day  ;  a  man  who  need  not  labor  for  his  daily 
bread.  None  of  these  make  a  gentleman — not  one  of 
them — nor  all  of  them  together.  I  have  known  men  of 
the  roughest  exterior  who  had  been  used  all  their  lives 
to  follow  the  plow  and  look  after  horses,  as  thorough 
gentlemen  in  heart  as  any  nobleman  who  ever  wore  a 
ducal  coronet.  I  mean  I  have  known  them  as  unselfish, 
I  have  known  them  as  truthful,  I  have  known  them  as 


Tivo  Eventful  Summers.  147 

sympathizing  ;  and  all  these  qualities  go  to  make  what 
I  understand  by  the  term  "a  gentleman."  ' 

It  is  a  noble  privilege  which  has  been  sadly  pros- 
tituted ;  and  what  I  want  to  say  is,  that  the  hum- 
blest man  who  has  the  coarsest  work  to  do,  yet,  if 
his  heart  be  tender  and  pure,  and  true,  can  be,  in 
the  most  emphatic  sense  of  the  word,  "  a  gentleman." 

Seeking  rest  and  pleasure  at  the  palatial  States 
was  Gov.  H.  C.  Warmoth  of  New  Orleans.  His 
wife,  a  pretty,  unassuming  brunette  with  a  sweet 
disposition  endearing  her  to  all,  has  had  a  "splendid 
time."  Their  daughter,  Reinette,  a  little  beauty  of 
the  Spanish  type,  was  most  bewitching  in  manner, 
and  a  perfect  little  guardian  angel  in  her  tender, 
watchful  care  of  dear  brother  Carroll,  a  charming 
and  cunning  little  man  of  four  merry  summers. 
Brother  Frank  was  considered  great  authority, 
among  the  young  folks  at  the  States. 

Much  has  been  written  about  the  American  girl, 
the  English  girl,  and  girls  of  other  countries.  But 
they  say  the  prettiest  girls  in  the  world  are  those  of 
Northern  Italy.  They  are  gloriously,  maddeningly 
beautiful.  They  are  a  mixture  of  the  French  gentry 
and  the  old  Italian  nobility,  and  inherit  the  vivacity 
of  one  country  and  the  voluptuous  half-Oriental 
beauty  of  the  other. 

If  my  readers  want  to  understand  what  the  poet 
meant  by  the  "  dark  eyes'  splendor  "  go  not  to  the 
vale  of  Cashmere  nor  to  Cadiz,  but  to  Milan. 
Greece  in  her  palmiest  days  could  not  produce  such 
perfect  figures,  nor  Spain  such  coquettes.  Add  to 


148  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


unrivalled  beauty  of  face  and  figure  the  sweet  ca- 
dences of  the  Italian  tongue,  and  I  defy  any  young- 
ster to  get  away  from  Milan  without  regret.  Some 
one  has  said  that  Italian  is  the  mother-tongue  of 
love;  certainly  there  is  nothing  sweeter  —  it  is 
melody. 

"  And  the  sunlight  clasps  the  earth, 

And  the  moonbeams  kiss  the  sea  ; 
What  are  all  these  kissings  worth, 
If  thou  kiss  not  me." 

It  seems  to  me  I  shall  ever  remember  an  incident 
which  occurred  one  Saturday  evening  during  the 
usual  concert  given  by  the  band  attached  to  the 
hotel.  The  band  were  playing  in  the  Pavilion  out 
on  the  lawn,  and  when  at  10.20  the  last  selection 
was  to  be  rendered,  to  the  pleasant  surprise  of  a 
large  gathering  occupying  the  piazzas,  they  struck 
up  the  music  of  that  beautiful  hymn,  "  Nearer  My 
God  to  Thee."  As  the  sweet  strains  floated  away 
in  the  distance  its  mellow  tones  rose  upon  the  dark- 
ening air  and  wafted  their  way  through  the  calm  and 
stillness  of  the  night.  The  experience  of  that  even- 
ing has  ever  been  to  my  soul  a  treasured  memory. 

The  latter  part  of  the  season  of  1893,  the  following 
names  appeared  on  the  register  of  the  United  States 
Hotel,  Saratoga :  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jesse  Seligman  of 
New  York,  and  daughters  Miss  Alice  and  Miss  Mad- 
eline Seligman. 

Jesse  Seligman  was  born  in  a  little  village  called 
Bayersdorf,  Bavaria,  in  1827,  where  his  ancestors, 
dating  back  over  two  hundred  years,  lie  in  the  vil- 


Two  Eventful  Summers.  149 


lagc  cemetery.  His  eldest  brother,  Joseph  Sclig- 
man,  was  graduated  from  the  University  of  Erlangcr, 
and  Jesse  attended  the  Gymnasium  in  that  town 
with  the  intention  of  entering  the  University. 

Mr.  Seligman  was  married  at  Munich,  Bavaria,  in 
1854,  to  Miss  Henrietta  Hillman,  of  that  city,  a 
highly  educated  woman.  They  have  three  sons  and 
three  daughters.  In  his  family  circle  he  was  like 
the  light  of  the  sun.  He  was  their  hope,  their  joy, 
their  happiness,  everything. 

Jesse  Seligman's  genius  as  a  financier  won  him  the 
admiration  of  the  commercial  world,  but  a  higher 
place,  that  in  the  hearts  of  the  people,  he  secured 
by  his  broad  philanthropy.  There  are  three  great 
virtues,  faith,  hope,  and  charity :  not  the  charity  in- 
scribed upon  marble  in  letters  of  gold  or  other  colors 
to  indicate  that  some  man  has  done  a  good  deed,  but 
it  was  that  quiet  innocent  charity  which  is  beautifully 
portrayed  by  Shakespeare :  "  Charity  is  like  the 
dews  of  Eden,  which  fall  unheard  and  unseen  upon 
the  earth,  conferring  benefits  upon  all."  I  have  set 
before  my  readers  a  good  man,  so  noble,  true,  honest, 
pure,  that  I  challenge  any  of  you  to  mention  a  flaw 
in  his  character.  Mr.  Seligman  in  his  will  remem- 
bered many  creeds,  and  almost  every  institution  in 
New  York  was  a  beneficiary. 

At  the  banquet  which  was  given  to  Mr.  Seligman, 
October  I,  1891,  at  Delmonico's,  by  the  officers  and 
directors  of  the  United  Hebrew  Charities,  there  was 
paid  to  Mr.  Seligman  a  tribute  such  as  few  private 
citizens  have  received.  Jacob  H.  Schiff,  who  pre- 
sided at  this  meeting,  said,  among  other  things: 


150  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


"  Honored  by  the  best  of  the  nation  because  of  the 
purity  of  his  patriotism  and  his  loyalty  to  his  country, 
respected  by  his  townsmen  for  his  civic  virtues  and 
public  services,  beloved  by  his  co-religionists  because  of 
his  warm  devotion  to  his  race,  whose  best  interests  he 
stands  ever  ready  to  serve  and  defend,  Jesse  Seligman 
is,  we  proclaim  it  with  pride,  the  truest  and  best  expo- 
nent of  the  type  of  a  man  and  a  Jew,  whom  only  a  great 
country  like  our  own  can  produce,  a  representative 
Hebrew- American." 

It  was  in  the  admirable  speech  made  at  this  ban- 
quet that  Mr.  Seligman  told  something  of  his  life — 
a  life  that  has  won  for  him  the  respect  and  admira- 
tion of  the  people  of  this  city  and  those  elsewhere 
who  knew  him.  No  man  was  broader  in  his  views, 
more  tolerant,  more  kindly,  more  truly  philanthropic. 
It  was  said  of  this  speech  that  it  should  be  placed 
before  every  youth  in  the  land,  that  he  might  profit 
by  the  lessons  therein  contained. 

In  the  course  of  his  speech  he  said : 

"  My  success,  whatever  it  has  been,  I  attribute,  first, 
to  the  fact  that  I  had  the  good  fortune  to  become  a  citi- 
zen of  this  great  republic,  under  whose  beneficent  laws 
the  poor  and  the  rich,  irrespective  of  race  or  creed,  have 
equal  opportunities  of  education  and  material  prosper- 
ity ;  secondly,  to  the  fact  that  I  have  always  endeavored 
to  extract  something  good  rather  than  evil  from  every- 
thing that  has  come  before  me,  which  has  had  the  effect 
of  making  lighter  the  cares  and  tribulations  of  this  life  ; 
in  the  next  place,  to  the  great  assistance  of  my  good 
brothers,  to  the  companionship  and  advice  of  a  loving 


JESSE  SELIGMAN. 


Tiuo  Eventful  Summers.  \  5 1 

wife  and  children,  and  above  all,  to  a  kind  and  merciful 
God." 

Jesse  Seligman's  name  is  added  to  the  list  of 
those  who  have  died  before  the  world  could  afford 
to  let  them  go. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

A   TRIP   TO   CARLSBAD. 

AFTER  the  season  was  over  and  the  hotel 
closed,  in  1893,  I  had  intended  to  visit  the 
World's  Fair  at  Chicago  ;  but  my  health  was 
very  poor  and  I  changed  my  mind  in  consequence 
and  went  to  Carlsbad  in  Bohemia,  Austria.  On  the 
1 8th  of  October  I  left  New  York  City  on  the  Fries- 
land  of  the  Red  Star  Line,  booked  first  cabin,  and 
carrying  also  a  return  certificate  which  permitted 
me,  at  my  own  option,  to  come  back  by  the  Paris  or 
New  York  of  the  American  Line.  The  Friesland, 
Captain  A.  E.  Nickels,  landed  me  safely  at  Ant- 
werp in  Belgium.  We  had  a  large  number  of 
passengers,  mostly  foreigners,  returning  from  the  Co- 
lumbian Fair.  Among  the  Americans  were  Messrs. 
Robert  E.  Brown  of  Chicago,  and  Richard  Andrew 
of  Boston.  Mr.  Brown  was  on  his  way  to  Munich 
to  study  art,  while  Mr.  Andrew  had  chosen  Paris  for 
the  same  purpose.  Fortunately  for  me,  Mr.  Brown 
was  my  room-mate.  We  had  the  happiest  kind  of  a 
voyage,  which  is  known  as  uneventful. 

152 


A  Trip  to  Carlsbad.  153 

Arriving  at  Antwerp,  I  proceeded  to  Cologne  on 
the  Rhine  ;  and  it  was  there  that  the  guard  on  the 
train  told  me  that  the  Mayor  of  Chicago  had  been 
shot.  I  had  an  exceedingly  difficult  time  to  make 
myself  understood,  as  every  one  spoke  the  German 
language.  In  Carlsbad  I  went  to  the  Hotel  Para- 
dies,  together  with  a  young  man  whom  I  met  on  the 
train  from  Leipsic,  and  who  occupied  the  same  com- 
partment with  me.  I  was  quite  ill  after  my  long 
voyage  and  land  journey,  and,  after  seeing  a  physi- 
cian, I  requested,  next  day,  to  be  taken  to  a  hos- 
pital. The  doctor  assented,  and  the  proprietor  of 
the  hotel,  together  with  the  physician  and  myself, 
were  driven  to  the  Allgemeines  Krankenhaus,  loca- 
ted on  an  Austrian  mountain,  and  conducted  by  the 
Roman  Catholic  sisters.  Although  I  was  unable  to 
speak  with  any  person  connected  with  the  hospital, 
all  of  them  being  Germans,  kindness  and  nothing 
but  kindness  did  I  receive  from  those  people,  who 
are  devoting  their  precious  lives  to  the  care  of  the 
sick  and  afflicted.  They  are  the  gentle  and  gener- 
ous lovers  of  the  poor.  The  first  night  that  I  en- 
tered the  hospital,  on  retiring  to  rest,  I  awoke  about 
midnight,  and  saw  by  the  dim  light  an  angelic  form 
kneeling  at  my  bedside  in  solemn  prayer,  her  white 
hood  shining  to  my  vision  as  a  celestial  light  from 
Heaven.  And  when  I  recall  that  sight  my  heart 
bows  low  in  love  and  reverence  for  dear  Sister 
Bertha,  for  that  was  her  name,  whose  supplications 
were  certainly  being  offered  in  my  behalf.  And  my 
grateful  remembrance  includes  all  the  sisterhood  of 
the  institution  as  follows  : 


154  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

Frau  Oberin,  President  ;  and  sisters  Bartholo- 
mew, Faronica,  Elanore,  Fredolina,  Hildegarde,  and 
Bertha. 

Just  in  this  connection  I  wish  to  set  my  own  ex- 
perience over  against  a  published  statement.  The 
following  words  appeared  in  an  American  paper 
during  1893  :  "  Some  physicians  come  to  the  Springs 
to  make  money  as  fast  as  possible.  They  are  not 
the  regular  house  physicians.  They  are  men  of 
trifling  practice  in  the  great  cities,  and  they  adopt 
measures  to  secure  patients  not  strictly  in  accord- 
ance with  the  finest  sense  of  honor.  Some  of  them 
fee  the  hall-boy  to  call  for  them  when  a  guest  rings 
for  a  doctor." 

Now,  in  all  my  many  years  at  the  States,  I  never 
knew  an  instance  of  that  kind,  and  I  append  here 
a  sentiment  from  one  of  my  public  addresses  in 
tribute  to  the  honor  of  the  profession  which  has  so 
often  been  illustrated  to  me.  The  bed  of  pain,  the 
gloomy  prison,  the  battle-field  and  the  grave  find 
their  ministering  hand.  A  sense  of  special  fitness 
comes  to  me,  awakened  by  the  echo  of  this  subject. 
For  I  allude  to  her  who  in  the  sweeter  walks  of 
mercy  and  alleviation  of  human  suffering  goes  hand 
in  hand  with  the  physician.  It  is  where  the  cry  of 
pain  goes  forth  from  the  stricken  body  and  the 
deeper  echo  comes  up  from  the  broken  heart,  that 
these  two  messengers  of  peace  and  comfort  stand 
side  by  side  in  the  one  great  office  of  charity  and 
mercy  to  their  kind.  All  hail  the  noble  avocation 
of  medicine!  And  gladly  do  I  proclaim  it  in  this 
hour  that  never  in  the  history  of  the  profession  has 


A  Trip  to  Carlsbad.  155 

it  been  known  to  falter  in  the  time  of  need.  Never 
in  the  trenches  of  the  battle-field,  never  in  the  path 
of  the  deadly  hail,  never  in  the  haunts  of  contagion 
and  of  death  ;  down  the  narrow  passage  or  up  the 
difficult  stair ;  never  when  the  cry  of  human  suffer- 
ing reached  his  willing  ear, — never  has  the  doctor 
yielded  to  the  nurse  a  single  claim  to  the  grand  re- 
ward of  duty  done  at  Duty's  call. 

I  was  a  private  patient  and  had  as  my  companion 
in  the  ward  an  Austrian  college  professor,  a  giant  in 
stature  ;  a  blond,  and  about  thirty-five  years  old.  I 
paid  thirty-two  marks  per  week,  being  equivalent  to 
about  $8.00  of  our  money,  that  price  paying  all  ex- 
penses. I  found  the  professor  a  very  sick  man,  and 
left  him  at  the  hospital  when  I  took  my  departure, 
which  was  December  2d,  having  been  an  inmate 
one  month.  The  professor  and  the  attending  phy- 
sician, Dr.  Adolph  Bernharth,  had  more  difficulty 
to  understand  me  than  any  of  the  attaches.  The 
head  doctor  was  in  London  at  the  time  I  was  there, 
but  arrived  a  day  or  so  before  I  left. 

Bohemia  has  always  been  famous  for  its  mineral 
springs  ;  but  in  no  place  have  they  assumed  that 
celebrity  which  attaches  to  far-famed  Carlsbad, 
where  are  congregated  each  year  thousands  of  peo- 
ple from  all  quarters  of  the  globe.  There  are  sev- 
eral springs  here,  all  hot,  the  greatest  of  these  being 
the  famous  Sprudel.  The  river  Tepl  runs  through 
the  town,  and  in  the  middle  of  the  stream  is  located 
a  pipe  which  sends  forth  this  almost  boiling  hot 
water,  and  has  been  doing  this  for  five  centuries. 
On  approaching  this  spot  you  would  imagine  that 


156  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


a  fire  was  in  progress,  the  steam  being  so  dense  that 
it  envelops  one.  The  water  which  passes  through 
the  pipe  forms  a  red  and  green  crust  as  it  falls  back 
into  the  river.  The  Sprudel  colonnade  is  built  en- 
tirely of  glass.  You  are  served  by  girls,  and  I  was 
ordered  to  drink  one  china  cup,  which  I  had  strapped 
over  my  left  shoulder,  of  Sprudel,  and  two  cups  of 
the  Muhlbrum. 

Carlsbad  is  a  summer  resort,  and  they  have  a 
number  of  fine  hotels  there ;  and  the  disadvantages 
I  labored  under  was  the  fact  that  I  had  chosen  the 
winter  time  for  my  visit.  Most  Americans  stop  at 
the  Hotel  Bristol,  and  the  Villa  Teresa  was  pointed 
out  to  me  as  the  home  of  the  Empress  of  Austria 
when  sojourning  here.  The  Germania,  Westmin- 
ster, Koning's  Villa,  Shakespeare,  Milton,  Charlotte, 
Koret,  Duke  of  Edinburgh,  Victoria,  Ollokar,  are 
the  names  of  first-class  villas.  I  must  not  forget  to 
add  to  the  list  that  of  the  Grand  Hotel  Pupp  and 
the  Bernharth's  Haus,  in  the  Park  Strasse. 

The  school  system  is  quite  a  feature  in  Carlsbad. 
Early  and  late  children  are  seen  going  to  school. 
The  prettiest  sight  I  ever  saw  while  in  this  city  was 
these  little  ones  wending  their  way  to  school,  not 
holding  hands,  but  locked  arm  in  arm,  with  their 
knapsacks  containing  their  school  books  strapped 
to  their  backs.  The  young  women  of  the  place  do 
all  kinds  of  hard  work.  When  a  number  of  brick 
buildings  were  being  constructed  I  saw  a  bevy  of 
handsome,  rosy-cheeked  girls  engaged  in  mixing 
mortar  and  carrying  the  hod  up  and  down  the 
ladder. 


A  Trip  to  Carlsbad.  15;- 

I  incorporate  here  in  my  book  the  following 
letter  sent  to  me  from  Dresden,  and  forwarded  to 
the  hospital : 

"  Dresden,  Luttichau  St.,  26, 
"  i  Floor. 

"  P.  P. 

"  On  the  event  of  your  visiting  Dresden,  I  beg  to  call 
your  attention  to  the  pension  which  I  have  been  leading 
for  the  last  seven  years  at  that  place.  It  is  situated  in  a 
quarter  of  the  town  which,  being  agreeable  for  residence, 
is  at  the  same  time  most  convenient  for  sight-seers,  vis- 
itors of  the  opera,  etc.  The  rooms  are  amply  furnished, 
and  always  present  a  fresh  appearance,  as  I  have  from 
the  beginning  chosen  a  high  order  of  furniture  and  con- 
stantly replace  such  as  grows  old. 

"  A  point  to  which  I  devote  the  greatest  care  is  the 
table.     All   materials  used  in   cooking  are   of  the  best 
quality.     The  following  will  give  full  information  of  the 
nature  of  the  meals  : 
"  Breakfast  consists  of 

"  Coffee,  tea,  or  chocolate,  eggs,  porridge. 
"  Dinner  : 
"  Soup. 

"  Entree  of  fish  or  poultry,  etc. 
"  Roast  meat  with  vegetables. 
"  Pudding,  cheese,  coffee. 
"Supper  : 

"  Meat  and  vegetables. 
"  Tea,  cake,  and  compote. 

"  The  terms  are  from  3  1/2  to  5  marks  per  day  for 
full  board.  A  reduction  is  made  for  parties  and  chil- 
dren. I  take  pains  to  remark  that  I  do  not  enlarge  bills 
with  a  list  of  extras,  which  is  often  the  cause  of  much 


158  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


annoyance  at  unreliable  hotels,  etc.  I  only  charge  drinks 
as  wine  and  beer,  and  in  winter  the  exact  amount  of  coal 
used  for  heating  room  of  tenant. 

"  Asking  you  to  favour  my  house  with  a  trial, 
"lam, 

"  Very  respectfully, 

"  AMALIE  RUDELOFF." 

I  desire  to  say  just  here  that  the  great  difference 
between  America  and  Europe  in  the  respect  of 
social  life  is  this,  that  the  European  takes  his  pleas- 
ure to-day  while  the  American  is  always  going  to 
take  his  to-morrow.  In  the  case  of  the  latter  that 
to-morrow  rarely  comes.  When  Mr.  Hamlin  was 
our  Minister  to  Spain  he  crossed  the  street  to  have 
his  boots  polished,  as  men  in  Madrid  do  that  kind 
of  work.  After  Mr.  Hamlin  made  his  wants  known, 
the  shiner  said  :  "  Oh,  wait  till  I  go  in  and  see  my 
wife."  Returning  from  the  interview  the  Spaniard 
declared  that  he  could  not  do  the  job  because  his 
wife  informed  him  that  she  had  enough  money  in 
the  purse  for  to-day. 

"  But  to-morrow,"  protested  the  Minister  ;  "  have 
you  enough  for  to-morrow  ?  "  And  the  man  instantly 
retorted  :  "  Who  has  seen  to-morrow?  " 

The  European  who  has  two  dollars,  splits  it  in 
half  and  takes  his  day's  outing,  rich  in  the  owner- 
ship of  a  hundred  cents,  or  its  equivalent.  The 
race  for  riches  is  not  known  abroad  as  it  is  here. 
There  are  numerous  holidays,  and  on  those  days 
it  is  impossible  to  get  any  one  to  do  any  work. 
And  the  workmen  take  their  wives  and  children  to 
the  Prater,  where  they  enjoy  themselves  with  beer 


A  Trip  to  Carlsbad.  159 


and  music.  There  is,  however,  no  drunkenness,  no 
fighting ;  and  on  the  next  day  they  all  return  to  their 
work,  happier  for  the  outing,  and  recuperated  for 
renewed  labor.  They  have  spent  only  half  of  their 
two  dollars,  the  other  half  being  kept  for  old  age, 
and  added  to  their  other  savings. 

And  so  I  bade  farewell  to  the  good  people  of 
Carlsbad,  Dec.  2d,  on  my  return  to  America,  pass- 
ing through  Germany ;  stopping  at  the  city  of 
Cologne  long  enough  to  visit  that  grand  old  cathe- 
dral, and  purchasing  two  bottles  of  Farina  cologne 
water.  Arriving  again  at  Antwerp,  I  sailed  on  the 
good  Friesland,  Dec.  Qth,  bound  for  New  York. 
There  were  very  few  saloon  passengers  on  that  trip, 
not  more  than  a  dozen  of  us  all  told.  But  what 
there  were  mingled  together  as  one  family.  The 
Captain,  a  genial  companion  and  a  sailor  in  all  that 
word  implies,  told  me  that  he  had  been  in  the  line 
twenty-one  years ;  and  during  the  passage  I  was 
invited  by  him  to  go  up  on  the  bridge,  giving  me 
an  escort.  The  wind  at  that  time  was  terrific,  and 
the  bridge  was  covered  with  a  foot  of  solid  ice.  I 
backed  down  ;  but  Miss  Carson  ventured  up,  with 
the  Captain  as  her  pilot  and  protector.  Among  the 
lady  passengers  was  Miss  Fanny  Ewing,  daughter  of 
the  American  Minister  to  Belgium,  residing  at  Brus- 
sels, Honorable  James  S.  Ewing.  Miss  Fanny  was 
the  protegee  of  the  Captain.  She  was  quite  pretty, 
with  a  nature  and  a  personality  that  make  her  doubly 
attractive.  She  won  the  sweepstakes  on  the  time 
when  we  would  reach  New  York. 

Miss  Carson  of  Newburgh,  who   had    spent   five 


160  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


years  in  Berlin,  Miss  Alice  E.  Barr,  Madam  Frida 
Schwarzman  ;  and  one  or  two  more  of  the  gentle- 
men were  Mr.  E.  S.  Moseley,  Mr.  Charles  Barnes,  of 
Chemnitz,  Saxony,  and  Doctor  Edwards,  returning 
from  college  in  Vienna ;  Mr.  P.  E.  Provost,  Mr. 
Spencer,  of  Herkimer,  N.  Y.  were  also  passengers. 

On  the  evening  of  December  i6th,  1893,  a  concert 
took  place  aboard  ship  on  the  Friesland,  with  the 
following  programme  : 

Carriages  at  10.45  P-M- 

Overture,    "  The  Old  Guard"  March 

Madam  Frida  Schwarzman. 

Song Mr.  M.  J.  Kintaele. 

Heroic  Women  ....  Mr.  Joseph  Smith. 
Song  .....  Miss  Alice  E.  Barr. 

Vivertisme  ....  Mr.  Charles  Barnes. 
Song  .....  Miss  Fanny  Ewing. 

Candy  Pull        .         .     Captain  H.  E.  Nickels,  Director. 

Interval  of  15  minutes. 

Scotch  Dance Mr.  Roderick. 

Waltz        ....      Madam  Frida  Schwarzman. 

Song          ......  Dr.  A.  R.  Edwards. 

Song          ......   Mr.  E.  S.  Moseley. 

Song          ......  Miss  Alice  E.  Barr. 

Song Mr.  P.  E.  Provost. 

Duette      .         .         .  Miss  A.  Carson  and  Mr.  A.  Bartle. 
Star  Spangled  Banner  ! 

"  Children  in  arms  not  admitted." 

Having  crossed  the  ocean  a  good  many  times,  I 
wish  to  speak  of  a  ship's  steward  and  why  he  plows 


JAMES  P.  WALLACE. 


A  Trip  to  Carlsbad.  161 

the  deep,  an  unsailor-like  sailor,  and  an  interested 
friend  in  need.  The  steward  is  a  curious  combina- 
tion of  waiter,  chambermaid,  and  sailor.  He  must 
serve  at  table,  do  general  housework,  have  a  sailor's 
stomach,  and  balance  himself  on  a  sailor's  leg.  At 
one  moment  he  is  resplendent  in  blue  clothes  and 
brass  buttons,  and  is  handling  macaroons  and  cham- 
pagne, the  next  you  see  him  staggering  coatless  along 
the  dimly-lighted  gangway  with  a  feather-duster  and 
slop-pail.  In  stormy  weather  the  manoeuvres  he 
goes  through  in  table  service  and  in  chamber  work 
rival  those  of  an  athlete  in  a  circus  ring.  He  sleeps 
in  a  place  devoid  of  light  and  air,  and  he  keeps  his 
clean  linen  with  his  pails  and  brushes,  in  a  little  cup- 
board just  outside  or  near  your  cabin  door.  But 
when  the  meeting  between  himself  and  his  toilet 
takes  place  nobody  knows.  Occasionally,  he  may 
be  seen  on  deck  of  an  evening  smoking  his  pipe ; 
but  as  a  rule  he  does  not  appear  outside.  And  al- 
though he  lives  at  sea  he  is  as  pale  as  a  shop-girl. 
When  you  are  sea-sick,  he  is  your  only  friend  ;  the 
only  inmate  of  the  vessel  who  pretends  to  regard 
you  without  levity  ;  the  only  being  through  whom 
you  feel  that  you  have  any  grip  on  life.  But  be  as- 
sured that  his  tender  care  of  you  springs  from  in- 
terested motives  ;  and  he  would  leave  you  to  die  in 
neglect  if  he  did  not  feel  that  in  nursing  you  he  was 
nursing  a  glittering  golden  coin.  In  his  inmost  heart 
he  has  no  respect  for  you.  He  prefers  the  beef-eat- 
ing, cock-tail  drinking  veteran  of  the  smoking  room, 
to  the  lemon-sucking,  gruel-sipping  invalid  of  the 
cabin.  When  you  embark  the  steward  takes  your 


162  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

measure  with  his  practical  eye,  decides  what  sort  of 
a  traveller  you  are,  what  is  your  commercial  value  in 
the  steamer  world,  and  what  is  the  amount  of  atten- 
tion which  it  will  be  worth  while  to  bestow  upon  you. 
But  whatever  may  be  his  behavior  to  you  during 
the  voyage,  he  will  smother  you  with  kindnesses  tow- 
ard the  close.  The  entrance  into  port  is  his  harvest 
day — the  grand  reward  for  which  he  plows  the  sea 
and  cultivates  the  nauseated  passengers.  If  you 
turn  out  to  be  what  he  considers  a  satisfactory  crop, 
he  gathers  you  and  your  luggage  up  with  scrupulous 
care  and  your  pathway  to  the  gang-plank  is  strewn 
with  flowers.  If  you  prove  barren  of  fruit  you  are 
trampled  under  foot,  and  left  to  get  yourself  out  in 
the  best  fashion  you  can.  Formerly  the  steward  was 
somewhat  remote  and  inaccessible,  and  when  you 
wanted  him  you  stood  in  the  gangway  and  yelled  for 
him  until  he  chose  to  come.  Nowadays,  however, 
you  are  connected  with  him  by  an  electric  bell  ;  but 
of  course  the  instrument  by  which  you  signal  for 
him  is  always  placed  as  far  from  the  head  of  your 
bed  as  it  is  possible  to  get  it. 

The  stewardess  is  the  female  counterpart  of  the 
steward.  With  the  exception  of  an  occasional  pull 
at  your  whiskey-flask,  the  steward  is  as  honest  as  he 
can  be.  All  of  your  belongings  are  safe  in  his  hands. 
We  should  hate  to  cross  the  ocean  without  either  of 
them. 

In  connection  with  this  year  of  1893,  I  wish  to 
pay  a  deserved  tribute  to  Mr.  M.  Stanton  Frothing, 
ham,  who  has  for  many  seasons  past  so  successfully 
filled  the  onerous  duties  of  Master  of  Ceremonies  at 


A  Trip  to  Carlsbad.  163 


the  United  States  Hotel.  He  is  one  of  the  most 
energetic,  esteemed,  and  valued  attaches  of  the 
house.  In  his  cordial,  light-hearted  manner,  he  does 
everything  in  his  line  to  make  each  and  every  one  of 
his  guests  while  at  the  ball-room  welcome  and  happy. 
He  has  a  warm  spot  in  his  generous  heart  for  the  de- 
votees of  Terpsichore.  Mr.  Frothingham  is  a  con- 
firmed bachelor  ;  but  in  his  domestic  life  he  has  been 
very  fortunate  in  having  the  companionship  of  a 
favorite  sister  whom  he  holds  in  most  affectionate 
regard. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  MEMORABLE    SEASON  OF  'NINETY-FOUR. 

OPEN  from  June  26th  to  October  ist."  That 
is  the  language  of  the  announcement  made 
for  this  season  by  the  United  States  Hotel, 
and  the  States  always  means  what  it  says,  and  carries 
out  its  advertised  promises  to  the  letter,  never  clos- 
ing earlier  than  the  prescribed  day,  whatever  the 
world  of  fashion  and  the  weather  may  chance  to  do. 
The  opening  date  was  a  little  later  than  usual ;  and 
Mrs.  Augustus  Schell  of  New  York  and  Mrs.  Walker 
of  Virginia,  accompanied  by  her  daughter,  Miss 
Annie,  anticipated  the  formal  season  by  establishing 
themselves  in  their  comfortable  and  pleasant  quarters 
in  Cottage  Row.  Early  in  July  among  the  gather- 
ing multitude  of  guests  the  following  occur  to  my 
pleasant  remembrance  : 

Mr.  Henry  A.  Hurlbut,  H.  A.  Hurlbut,  Jr.,  Cap- 
tain Warren  C.  Beach  and  Mrs.  Beach,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
J.  P.  Wallace,  all  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn  ;  Mrs.  T. 
Bailey  Myers,  Mrs.  Julian  James,  Mrs.  E.  Knower, 
Mrs.  T.  J.  Penniman,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  W.  John- 

164 


The  Memorable  Season  of  *  Ninety-Four .      165 

son,  Dr.  Thomas  H.  Burchard,  Mrs.  Burchard,  Dr. 
George  R.  Smith,  Mr.  Charles  D.  Dickey,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  J.  D.  Flower,  Mrs.  Emma  Keep  Schley,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Benjamin  Mann  and  family,  of  Philadel- 
phia ;  Mr.  A.  J.  Antelo,  with  the  Misses  Antelo,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  John  Kellogg,  with  Miss  Kellogg,  Misses 
Susie  and  Alice  Fish,  of  Amsterdam,  N.  Y.  ;  and  J. 
Warren  Nash  and  three  sisters  of  New  York  City. 

The  most  of  our  regular  summer  guests  returned 
with  the  advancing  season,  and  among  them  none 
more  charming  than  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  W.  Johnson, 
to  both  of  whom  I  had  taken  quite  a  fancy.  Mr. 
Johnson,  a  man  of  fine  appearance  and  most  agree- 
able manners,  is  a  typical  gentleman  of  the  old 
school.  Always  wearing  a  stiff  stock  and  stand-up 
collar,  with  shirt  front  of  the  finest  and  whitest  linen, 
a  tall,  glossy  tile,  a  black  broad-cloth  frock  coat,  deep- 
skirted  and  closely  buttoned  over  a  pair  of  the  dark- 
est and  finest  cassimere  pants,  his  costume  as  a  whole 
was  certainly  very  respectable  and  aristocratic,  and 
dazzled  younger  men  into  a  deference  which  youth 
rarely  shows  in  these  days  either  to  age  or  position. 

Among  the  regular  guests  from  Brooklyn  were 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  P.  Wallace,  and  in  connection  with 
these  most  estimable  people  there  is  a  pleasant  inci- 
dent I  wish  to  relate.  I  had  quoted  to  Mr.  Wallace 
these  lines : 

'  To  see  a  dear  old  married  pair 

Their  journey  nearly  done, 
As  lovers  still  walk  hand  in  hand 
Down  to  the  setting  sun." 


1 66  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


Then  it  transpired  that  on  that  very  day  a  dear 
friend  of  his  was  to  celebrate  his  golden  wedding, 
and  had  asked  Mr.  Wallace  to  be  present.  But  his 
presence  being  impossible,  a  note  of  regret  had  been 
written,  and  was  about  to  be  turned  over  to  Uncle 
Sam  for  delivery.  But,  as  it  was  not  yet  sealed,  Mr. 
Wallace  opened  it  and  added  as  a  postscript  the  ap- 
propriate and  beautiful  lines  I  had  recalled  to  his 
memory. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  R.  Sayre,  as  has  been  their 
custom  for  twenty-five  years,  are  spending  the  sea- 
son here.  It  is  said  that  Mr.  Sayre  takes  great 
interest  in  seeing  that  all  his  friends  partake  freely 
of  the  Saratoga  Spring  waters,  claiming  that  they 
have  been  especially  beneficial  to  him.  Wonder- 
fully active  and  well-preserved,  Mr.  Sayre  does  not 
appear  to  need  any  hygienic  waters ;  but  this  fa- 
vored and  honored  son  of  New  Jersey  has  learned 
that  the  famous  American  Spa  preserves  the  health 
of  the  strong  as  well  as  restores  the  health  of  the 
weak.  Mrs.  Sayre,  it  is  needless  to  say,  is  one  of 
the  most  refined  and  dignified  ladies  at  the  hotel, 
and  is  one  of  Society's  devotees. 

Saratoga  has  no  warmer  admirers  and  the  States 
no  better  friends  than  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Isaac  L.  Kip  of 
New  York  City.  Enjoying  a  prominent  social  posi- 
tion among  their  friends  at  the  States,  and  having 
the  happy  ease  of  manner  which  distinguishes  those 
possessed  of  the  highest  refinement  and  nobility  of 
character,  the  Kips  are  greatly  esteemed  by  a  large 
and  congenial  circle  of  the  best  people  of  the  place. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Philip  Rhinelander,  the  latter  a  daugh- 


The  Memorable  Season  of  'Ninety-Four.      167 

ter  of  Dr.  Kip's,  came  to  the  hotel  later  in  the  sea- 
son and  formed,  with  the  Doctor's  family,  a  very 
interesting  group. 

New  York's  great  banker,  Mr.  Henry  Clews,  came 
up  from  Newport  for  a  few  days.  Mr.  Clews  is  one 
of  the  most  genial  of  the  multi-millionaires,  and  al- 
though one  of  the  clearest-headed  financiers  of  the 
metropolis,  and  always  up  to  date  on  money  mat- 
ters, he  finds  time  to  be  courteous.  His  wife  was 
abroad  at  the  time,  but  a  very  handsome  lady  paid 
an  unconscious  tribute  to  her  by  speaking  of  their 
resemblance  to  each  other.  Mr.  Clews  had  told  me 
that  the  lady  resembled  his  wife  ;  and  a  few  hours 
later  I  said  to  her  that  a  certain  gentleman  had 
spoken  of  her  as  the  alter  ego  of  his  wife.  The  lady 
instantly  exclaimed  :  "  It  must  have  been  Mr.  Henry 
Clews,  for  I  have  frequently  been  taken  for  the  bank- 
er's lady." 

Mr.  Henry  M.  Taber  sojourned  at  the  States  fora 
time,  being  afterward  joined  by  his  daughter,  Miss 
Mary,  together  with  her  friend  Miss  Laura  Schonable, 
of  220  East  i6th  St.,  New  York  City.  I  had  never 
met  Mr.  Taber  before,  but  he  approached  me  one 
day  and  requested  that  I  would  find  some  congenial 
person  to  play  a  game  of  checkers  with  him  ;  and 
from  that  moment  to  the  day  of  his  departure  for 
home,  it  was  one  of  my  greatest  pleasures  to  have  a 
social  chat  with  him.  I  missed  the  gentleman  very 
much  when  he  had  gone. 

Among  the  frequent  visitors  at  Saratoga  is  Judge 
Charles  L.  Benedict,  of  the  United  States  District 
Court,  Brooklyn,  who,  with  Mrs.  Benedict,  comes 


1 68  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


regularly  to  the  States  from  their  Staten  Island 
home.  But  this  season  the  Judge  came  late  and 
only  for  a  very  short  time.  The  Judge  and  Mrs. 
Benedict  were  always  welcome  guests  with  the  pro- 
prietors and  habitue's  of  our  hotel,  and  counted 
among  their  ardent  friends  the  late  Judge  and  Mrs. 
Blatchford. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Walter  Hanson,  with  their  little  son 
Walter,  occupied  apartments  in  Cottage  Row.  Mrs. 
Hanson,  who  is  the  youngest  daughter  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Daniel  Lathrop  of  Albany,  is  noted  for  her 
large-hearted  charities,  having  kept  the  roof  over 
the  heads  of  many  poor  families  in  the  village ;  for 
Saratoga  is  now  their  permanent  home,  Mr.  Hanson 
having  formerly  resided  here,  and  the  marriage  hav- 
ing taken  place  at  the  Spa.  Mrs.  Hanson  may  be 
seen  daily  riding  through  Broadway,  knowing  and 
recognizing  everybody,  and  everybody  knowing  her 
and  returning  her  pleasant  greetings ;  while,  being  a 
liberal  customer  of  the  village  stores,  she  is  especially 
welcomed  by  the  tradespeople. 

I  remember,  one  Saturday  evening  during  the 
height  of  the  season,  when  one  of  our  weekly  hops 
was  about  to  take  place,  and  the  gay  throng  was 
pressing  through  the  immense  door  towards  the 
ball-room,  I  saw  Mrs.  Hanson  going  in  the  opposite 
direction,  and  said  to  her :  "  Are  you  not  going  to 
the  Hop  ?  "  And  she  replied,  the  Book  in  her  hand 
to  emphasize  and  beautify  the  choice  :  "  No  ;  I  am 
going  to  prayer-meeting." 

"  Hello!  Governor  Flower." 

"  Hello  !  Walter.     Shake  hands  !  " 


The  Memorable  Season  of  'Ninety-Four.      169 

The  young  gentleman  who  thus  accosted  the  dig- 
nified Governor  of  the  Empire  State,  and  whose 
frankness  met  with  so  much  encouragement,  was  not 
quite  three  feet  high,  wore  golden  curls,  and  looked 
up  at  the  Governor  through  honest,  innocent  blue 
eyes,  and  had  not  yet  acquired  even  the  glory  of 
trousers  into  the  pockets  of  which  to  thrust  his  tiny 
hands.  But  he  kept  the  courage  to  continue  the 
conversation  by  saying :  "  Are  you  well,  Governor  ?  " 
And,  receiving  a  pleasant  answer,  he  ran  to  his  nurse 
and  joyfully  exclaimed:  "See  that,  Minnie;  Gov- 
ernor Flower  and  I  had  a  talk !  " 

This  pretty  little  fellow  is  the  only  child  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Walter  Hanson,  and  his  beautiful  face  is 
honestly  inherited  from  parents  as  good  as  they  are 
handsome. 

Colonel  and  Mrs.  George  P.  Lawton  are  very  fond 
and  proud  of  their  little  son,  Daniel  Lathrop  Law- 
ton.  A  quiet,  manly  little  fellow,  he  is  nevertheless, 
in  all  respects,  a  real  boy.  Mrs.  Lawton  is  a  sister 
of  Mrs.  Hanson  and  also  lives  in  Saratoga,  where 
she  moves  prominently  in  the  best  society.  Having 
a  true,  warm  heart  and  a  sunny  nature,  and  being 
keenly  and  helpfully  interested  in  Saratoga's  chari- 
table organizations,  always  ready  to  respond  to  any 
call  of  need,  Mrs.  Lawton  is  deservedly  popular  as 
well  as  prominent.  Withal,  she  is  fond  of  life, 
bright,  joyful,  unselfish  ;  and  looking  at  the  bright 
side  of  things  herself,  she  has  the  happy  faculty  of 
making  others  see  the  better  and  brighter  side  of 
life. 

Following  the  custom  of  many  years,  Captain  and 


170  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

Mrs.  Warren  C.  Beach,  of  New  York,  are  at  the 
States  for  the  season.  Captain  Beach  is  a  brother 
of  Judge  Miles  Beach  of  New  York,  and  comes 
honestly  by  the  military  title  he  bears  from  having 
worn  at  one  time  the  double-barred  shoulder  straps 
of  a  Captain  in  the  United  States  Army,  having 
previously  fitted  himself  for  a  military  career  by  a 
course  of  study  at  West  Point,  that  highest  test  of 
the  science  and  capacity  of  the  soldier.  Some  years 
ago,  however,  he  resigned  from  active  service,  and, 
in  giving  himself  to  the  civil  and  social  world,  con- 
tributed thereto  as  fine  a  gentleman  as  ever  visited 
the  Spa.  The  Captain  married  Miss  Julia  Norrie, 
daughter  of  Adam  Norrie,  who,  with  his  accom- 
plished wife,  was  a  constant  guest  at  the  old  Claren- 
don in  the  seventies. 

Captain  Beach  is  very  devoted  to  his  wife,  and 
they  are  always  together.  What  a  beautiful  scene 
the  pair  present,  as,  each  morning,  he  procures  a 
handsome  bouquet  of  sweet-pea  blossoms,  and,  after 
politely  giving  and  receiving  them  on  the  grand 
staircase,  they  proceed  together  to  the  breakfast 
table  !  The  Captain  is  a  splendid  dresser ;  and  I 
once  said  to  him  after  he  had  arranged  his  toilet 
with  scrupulous  neatness  and  care,  that  he  looked 
like  a  prince  coming  to  his  kingdom. 

Of  Mr.  O.  D.  Munn  I  am  qualified  to  speak  in- 
telligently, having  known  him  many  years ;  and 
perhaps  among  all  our  guests,  whether  regular  or 
occasional,  none  is  more  popular  in  poHte  society 
than  he.  A  typical  New  York  gentleman,  hand- 
some, deferential,  gallant,  always  bowing  to  the 


ORSON   D.    MUNN. 


The  Memorable  Season  of  'Ninety-Four.       1 7 1 


ladies  of  every  rank,  in  chivalrous  recognition  of  the 
deference  due  to  womankind,  Mr.  Munn  has  not 
only  a  head  which  is  level  with  the  Nineteenth  Cen- 
tury but  a  heart  as  warm  and  valiant  as  that  of  a 
Knight  of  the  Middle  Ages.  Indeed,  Mr.  Munn  is 
one  of  those  who  honor  women  simply  because  they 
are  women.  Blest  as  he  was  with  the  pleasant  and 
loving  companionship  of  a  devoted  wife,  one  whose 
character  was  rooted  in  a  simple  and  reverent  faith, 
and  finding  its  fruitfulness  in  a  gracious  loyalty  of 
love  which  made  her  home  beautiful,  the  loss  of  this 
devoted  help-mate  of  a  lifetime  was  a  very  severe 
blow  to  him  ;  but  he  can  surely  comfort  himself  with 
the  words  of  another  in  a  like  experience : 

"  For  life  to  me  is  as  a  station, 
Wherein  apart  a  traveller  stands  ; 
One  absent  long  from  home  and  nation 
In  other  lands, — 

And  I  as  he  who  stands  and  listens, 
Among  the  twilight  and  the  gloom, 
To  hear  approaching  in  the  distance 
The  train  for  home. 

For  death  shall  bring  another  mating, 
Beyond  the  portals  of  the  tomb  ; 
On  yonder  shore  a  bride  is  waiting 
Until  I  come." 

When  I  first  knew  the  Munns  at  the  Clarendon 
years  ago,  I  was  very  fond  of  Charlie,  the  younger 
of  their  two  sons,  who  was  very  small  at  that  time, 


172  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

but  so  manly  to  my  eyes,  carrying  a  cane  and  always 
dignified  and  respectful,  that  he  seemed  a  genuine 
little  Lord  Fauntleroy.  When  I  last  saw  him,  his 
father  brought  him  as  usual  to  see  me  and  called 
him  my  boy. 

The  following  from  the  New  York  Herald  does 
nothing  more  than  simple  justice  to  a  family  as 
worthy  as  they  are  prominent : 

"  Governor  and  Mrs.  Roswell  P.  Flower  are  always  to 
be  found  in  Cottage  Row  during  each  season,  and  every- 
body seems  glad  to  welcome  them  heartily.  It  is  said 
the  Governor  has  a  charity  organization  in  his  family, 
the  organization  having  no  name  but  four  presidents. 
The  first  is  Mrs.  Flower,  the  second,  Mrs.  Emma  Schley, 
the  governor's  sister-in-law,  the  third,  Mrs.  Gen.  Halsey, 
his  niece,  and  the  fourth  his  beautiful  daughter,  Mrs. 
John  Taylor.  These  ladies  spend  quite  a  snug  sum 
each  month,  keeping  accounts  in  their  heads  ;  and  that 
is  why  the  Chief  of  State  never  knows  what  they  are 
doing,  or  how  their  benevolent  schemes  are  panning  out. 
The  Keep  Institute,  an  Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary  on  23d 
street,  was  built  by  Mrs.  Schley  as  a  memorial  to  her 
deceased  husband.  Ever  since  its  establishment  Mrs. 
Flower  has  been  a  regular  visitor,  alternating  with  her 
niece,  Mrs.  Halsey,  in  taking  care  of  the  linen  closet, 
weeding  out  the  useless  articles  and  substituting  new 
bandages,  bed  linen,  and  garments.  When  this  work  is 
done,  she  goes  through  the  wards,  learning  from  the 
nurses  the  names  of  destitute  families,  and  from  the 
patient  the  personal  needs  of  his  or  her  relatives  ;  and 
without  ever  showing  a  pencil  or  tablet  or  making  any 
memorandum,  she  goes  shopping.  Barrels  of  provisions, 


T/ie  Memorable  Season  of  'Ninety-Four.       173 


loads  of  fuel,  beds,  pillows,  and  not  infrequently  cook- 
'  ing-stoves,  are  ordered  and  sent  to  the  destitute  people 
anonymously.  Mrs.  Flower  always  appears  as  '  the  lady 
in  black.'  In  going  through  the  wards  she  has  no  com- 
munication with  the  nurses  or  doctors  ;  and  when  ques- 
tions are  asked  as  to  her  identity,  the  reply  always  is  : 
'  Oh,  she  is  a  visitor  who  often  comes.' " 

At  the  Flower  Hospital,  corner  of  Avenue  A.  and 
Sixty-third  Street,  a  memorial  to  Governor  and  Mrs. 
Flower's  son,  Mrs.  Flower's  sympathetic  nature  is 
given  wider  scope.  One  of  the  missionary  women 
who  went  shopping  with  her  said  : 

"  Mrs.  Flower  had  a  hand-bag  full  of  money.  She 
bought  for  cash  for  reasons  of  her  own,  and  the 
barrels  of  goods  were  sent  to  head  nurses,  matrons, 
and  industrial-school  teachers."  For  seven  years 
Mrs.  Flower  was  interested  in  the  Watertown  Home 
for  the  Aged  ;  and  when  the  honors  of  office  raised 
her  to  the  position  of  mistress  of  the  Executive 
Mansion,  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Taylor,  undertook  the 
godly  work,  assisted  therein  by  her  husband,  Mr. 
John  Taylor,  the  care  of  the  aged  men  devolving 
especially  upon  him.  Governor  and  Mrs.  Flower 
also  built  the  Mission  Church  in  East  Fifty-ninth 
Street,  which  is  a  part  of  St.  Thomas's  Parish  work. 
All  the  expenses  connected  with  the  Boys'  Club  are 
paid  by  the  family. 

All  her  life,  Mrs.  Flo\ver  has  had  an  intense  love 
for  children  ;  and  the  little  orphan  cripples  of  New 
York  City,  Albany,  and  Watertown  have  been  the 
recipients  of  constant  and  countless  favors.  Not  at 


Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

Christmas  time !  She  is  not  in  the  habit  of  impor- 
tuning Santa  Claus.  She  gives  away  books,  toys, 
goodies,  and  playthings  in  July  when  it  is  too  hot 
for  the  feeble  and  sickly  ones  to  play ;  and  at  Hal- 
lowe'en, when  misfortune  keeps  them  from  childish 
sports. 

Mrs.  Flower  goes  personally  to  the  toy  manu- 
facturers and  selects  the  prettiest  dolls,  the  funniest 
jacks  and  clowns,  and  the  most  merry-making  horns, 
whistles,  and  trumpets  that  are  made.  These  are 
sent  by  the  barrel-loads  to  the  slum-workers  who 
conduct  nurseries,  kindergartens  and  children's  clubs, 
regardless  of  creed  or  nationality. 

In  the  glare  and  glitter  of  Saratoga's  summer  life, 
among  the  crowd  of  a  thousand  women,  Mrs.  Flower 
would  not  be  singled  out  for  a  person  who  could  find 
work  for  the  weak  and  the  poor  and  needy  and  the 
afflicted  so  congenial,  but  rather  for  the  queen  of 
some  household,  ruling  her  subjects  by  love  alone. 
There  is  no  woman  of  whom  it  can  be  more  truth- 
fully said : 

"  She  knows  the  worth  of  womanhood 
And  spends  her  life  in  doing  good  ; 
Her  gentle  hands  and  kindly  voice 
Oft  make  the  sufferer's  heart  rejoice. 
Her  greatest  pleasure  is  to  know 
That  she  has  eased  another's  woe." 

Prominent  among  the  occupants  of  Cottage  Row 
during  this  season  were  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Elihu  Root,  Mr. 
Root  being  a  member  of  the  Constitutional  Conven- 
tion now  in  session  at  Albany.  Mrs.  Root  is  a  daugh- 


The  Memorable  Season  of  'Ninety-Four.       175 

ter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Salem  H.  Wales,  of  New  York, 
old  friends  of  mine;  and  Mrs.  Wales  accompanied 
Mrs.  Root.  It  was  delightful  to  discover  that  the 
wife  of  my  old  friend  was  the  mother-in-law  of  so 
distinguished  a  leader  of  the  Convention  ;  and  as  I 
hailed  from  the  Capital  City,  and  had  heard  and  read 
a  great  deal  about  Mr.  Root,  I  alluded  to  his  prom- 
inence in  a  conversation  with  Mrs.  Root  and  her 
mother.  "  We  in  Albany,"  I  said,  "  think  Mr.  Root 
is  a  big  man,  not  in  stature  but  in  greatness." 

And  Mrs.  Root  immediately  and  happily  retorted  : 
"  We  think  him  a  big  man  in  New  York !  " 

Lieutenant  T.  B.  M.  Mason,  executive  officer  of 
the  New  York,  is  the  youngest  man  in  the  Navy 
holding  so  important  a  position.  It  is  said  that 
Secretary  Tracy  tendered  the  appointment  to  Lieu- 
tenant Mason  in  order  that  he  might  signally  com- 
pliment this  young  officer  upon  his  professional  and 
excutive  ability.  I  was  very  proud  and  glad  when 
I  read  the  announcement  of  young  Mason's  promo- 
tion. Many  years  ago  he  visited  Saratoga  with 
his  grandfather,  Sidney  Mason.  The  lad  was  then  a 
midshipman,  and  I  was  sure  that  he  would  be  heard 
from  later  on,  and  my  good  opinion  of  him  is  fully 
justified.  He  has  not  been  with  us  here  in  Saratoga 
recently,  but  his  mother,  Mrs.  T.  B.  Myers,  together 
with  his  sister,  Mrs.  Julian  James,  of  Washington, 
D.  C.,  are  regular  season  visitors  ;  and  I  know  they 
are  justly  proud  of  the  brilliant  record  of  this  superb 
young  officer,  already  an  authority  on  all  naval 
affairs. 

Mr.  C.  D.  Dickey  and  daughter  came  here  from 


176  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


New  York  for  a  short  visit,  before  sailing  for  Europe 
on  the  Teutonic,  his  favorite  ship.  He  has  crossed 
the  ocean  twenty-two  times.  Once  while  in  Paris 
he  went  to  the  Hotel  Bristol,  where  he  was  in  the 
habit  of  stopping.  The  hotel  being  very  full,  he  was 
offered  the  suite  of  rooms  occupied  by  the  Prince  of 
Wales  whenever  he  visited  France.  But  Mr.  Dickey 
refused  to  accept  them  for  the  reason  that  he  was 
liable  to  be  turned  out  at  almost  any  time,  inasmuch 
as  his  Royal  Highness  sometimes  came  over  on  very 
short  notice. 

I  said  in  the  preceding  chapter  that  I  would  briefly 
refer  to  the  visit  of  royalty  to  Saratoga  last  year. 
The  Duke  of  Veragua  and  his  suite  expressed  them- 
selves as  delighted  with  the  Spa  of  Spas  and  her 
numerous  attractions.  The  Duke  made  special  in- 
quiry about  Congress  Spring  and  the  Hathorn  Spring 
and  the  House  of  Pansa  ;  also  the  famous  mansion  of 
Judge  Hilton  in  Woodlawn  Park,  with  its  art  treas- 
ures, and  the  palatial  residence  of  Spencer  Trask 
at  Yaddo  ;  and  Mt.  McGregor  full  of  historic  and  pa- 
thetic memories.  He  would  have  been  glad  to  visit 
all  these  points  of  interest,  but  it  was  impossible  to 
prolong  his  visit  to  Saratoga,  as  all  his  plans  were 
pre-arranged  for  his  departure  for  Madrid.  The 
blood  of  the  far-famed  Columbus  courses  through 
the  veins  of  Veragua,  and  also  that  of  the  royal 
house  of  Spain  and  of  the  English  Stuarts. 

Princess  Eulalie  did  not  come  to  Saratoga  as  we 
should  have  liked  to  have  her  do.  We  have  no 
palaces  or  castles,  nor  the  pomp  and  glitter  of  cere- 
monials which  distinguish  European  courts.  But 


The  Memorable  Season  of  'Ninety-Four.       1 77 


we  have,  however,  a  whole-souled,  generous,  and 
hearty  way  of  welcoming  our  guests,  which  the 
Infanta  fully  appreciates ;  and  she  is  evidently 
pleased  with  the  royal  reception  give  by  a  demo- 
cratic people. 

I  cannot  pass  on  without  mentioning  the  incident 
of  Princess  Eulalie's  placing  with  her  own  hands  a 
wreath  upon  the  tomb  of  General  Grant  on  Memorial 
Day  at  Riverside  Park.  It  is  needless  to  add  that 
this  act,  suggested  by  herself,  served  to  commend 
her  still  further  to  the  American  people.  Fifteen  or 
sixteen  years  ago,  when  the  Infanta  was  a  little  girl, 
she  met  General  Grant,  while  the  great  hero  was 
travelling  in  Spain,  and  she  has  a  distinct  and  pleasant 
remembrance  of  him.  Her  tribute  to  him  was  there- 
fore not  without  an  element  of  personal  regard.  Her 
escort  consisted  of  General  Horace  Porter,  Col.  S.  V. 
R.  Cruger,  Cornelius  N.  Bliss  and  Whitelaw  Reid. 

In  an  account  of  her  departure  from  Chicago  we 
find  these  words : 

"  With  the  kiss  of  Hobart  Chatfield  Taylor  lingering 
on  her  brown  kid  glove,  the  fair  Eulalie  waved  adieu  to 
the  assembled  throng.  Mayor  Harrison  won  the  Infanta's 
respect  and  gratitude  ;  and,  as  he  was  bidding  her  good- 
night, she  presented  him  with  a  handsome  cigarette  case 
of  solid  beaten  gold,  having  a  crown  of  diamonds  in  its 
centre,  and  clasped  with  a  ruby  and  an  emerald,  and 
asked  him  to  keep  it  as  a  souvenir  of  one  of  the  most 
enjoyable  periods  of  her  life.  Then  Mayor  Harrison 
drew  from  the  pocket  of  his  coat  his  book  of  travels  : 
A  Race  with  the  Sun,  and  handed  it  to  the  Princess. 
Thanking  him,  she  promised  to  read  the  book  aboard 


178  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


ship.  Before  leaving,  the  Princess  gave  four  hundred 
dollars  in  gold  to  be  divided  among  the  servants  who 
had  waited  on  her." 

i 

Not  for  many  years  has  this  great  Spa  had  a  more 
brilliant  and  successful  season  than  the  one  in  prog- 
ress as  I  write  these  annals  of  1894.  Every  hotel 
is  crowded  with  the  representative  people  of  the 
country.  The  States  is  doing  a  splendid  business 
and  is  full  of  guests.  The  old  families  of  New  York, 
Philadelphia,  and  Baltimore  are  here  in  great  num- 
bers, besides  a  few  from  Boston.  Among  them  all  the 
following  names  occur  to  me  :  Mrs.  Marcy  Raymond, 
Mrs.  Warner,  Doctor  and  Mrs.  C.  J.  Dumond,  Miss 
Ida  Dumond,  Judge  George  P.  Andrews,  of  the 
Superior  Court,  New  York  City,  with  Mrs.  Andrews  5 
Hon.  John  Sandford  of  Amsterdam,  Miss  May 
Dwight  Foote  of  New  York,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  P. 
Williams,  of  Charleston,  S.  C.,  A.  W.  Spencer,  of 
Boston,  Mrs.  Wesley  Smead,  of  New  York,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  A.  E.  Haynes  with  their  daughter  Miss  A.  W. 
Haynes  ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  O.  Armour  (Cottage  Row). 
Hon.  W.  D.  Bishop  and  Mrs.  Bishop,  of  Bridgeport, 
Conn.,  Hon.  Horace  Cornwell,  Mrs.  K.  C.  Husband, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  C.  Bowen,  Mr.  John  H.  Van 
Antwerp  and  his  daughter,  Mrs.  J.  R.  Stanton  ;  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Foxhall  Keene,  Mr.  E.  Berry  Wall,  Miss 
Lilian  M.  Smith,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  W.  Slocum  and 
two  children,  Mr.  W.  H.  Chapman,  Mr.  John  King, 
President  of  the  Erie  R.R.,  with  Mrs.  King ;  Commo- 
dore A.  Van  Santvoord  and  daughter,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
George  Bliss,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Richard  V.  Harnett, 


The  Memorable  Season  of  'Ninety-Four.       \  79 

Mrs.  Thomas  Francis  Meagher,  Hon.  Smith  Ely,  Mr. 
George  Alfred  Townsend,  Washington,  F.  W.  Tap- 
penbeck,  E.  J.  King,  Jr.,  George  F.  Garr,  Joseph  K. 
Garr,  A.  Gordon  Norrie,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  F.  Cobb, 
of  Chicago,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  VV.  R.  Moore,  of  Memphis, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Alexander  Johnson,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ed- 
ward M.  Klemm,  with  Miss  Klemm  ;  Oliver  S.  and 
Mrs.  Carter,  of  New  York,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  S.  U.  Cad- 
well,  Miss  Wilcox,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  D.  B.  Ivison  with 
the  Misses  Ivison,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  S.  G.  Bogert,  Miss 
Belle  Bogert,  Miss  Annie  Bogert,— these  last  two 
young  ladies  charming  types  of  the  blonde  and 
brunette,  and  favorites  at  the  hotel  for  years. 

Mrs.  E.  J.  King,  Miss  Sarah  King  and  their  com- 
panion, Miss  Kate  King,  have  been  coming  to  the 
States  for  years  from  their  New  York  City  home, 
and  are  very  highly  esteemed  by  our  people.  In- 
deed, no  words  that  I  could  write,  would  add  any- 
thing to  the  high  tributes  paid  to  the  family.  Their 
evenings  are  always  spent  either  on  the  piazza,  near 
the  lawn  door,  or  in  the  immense  hall  on  one  of  the 
sofas  ;  and  it  has  been  very  pleasant  to  add  all  to 
their  comfort  I  possibly  could,  within  the  functions 
of  my  position  and  as  prompted  by  my  personal 
regard  for  them. 

Mrs.  Charles  Lament  and  her  son,  Mr.  Lansing 
Lament,  are  also  here,  while  Mrs.  Flagler,  the  daugh- 
ter, and  her  husband  are  in  Europe.  Other  promi- 
nent names  are  these  : — Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  A.  Ransom, 
and  F.  J.  Ransom,  of  New  York,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George 
E.  Dodge  and  Miss  Cassie  Dodge,  New  York  ;  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  B.  B.  Knight,  Providence,  R.  I.  ;  Mr.  Joseph 


180  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

Parker,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  D.  Wood,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
W.  A.  Campbell,  Mrs.  John  H.  Linsly,  Mrs.  Stewart, 
Mrs.  Rutter,  Mrs.  Ellis,  Mrs.  Fisher,  Mrs.  Bogert, 
Mrs.  Belden  and  Mrs.  Harnett, — these  ladies  occu- 
pied seats  in  the  Blue  Parlor,  and  were  often  engaged 
in  doing  different  kinds  of  fancy  work.  I  would  ar- 
range the  cane  rockers  for  them  in  the  room,  and 
evenings  I  was  obliged  to  secure  a  few  chairs  of 
that  kind  for  all  who  desired  them.  Mrs.  Harnett, 
a  lady  whom  I  hold  in  the  highest  esteem,  usually 
came  in  late  during  the  morning  hour  while  the  band 
was  playing  melodious  music.  I  would  then  an- 
nounce to  her  that  a  chair  awaited  her,  and  she  would 
thereupon  come  and  join  the  bevy  of  lady  friends. 
One  morning  Mrs.  Harnett  told  me,  in  a  sweet,  pleas- 
ant manner,  that  she  was  the  superintendent  of 
the  sewing-circle  and  was  therefore  not  expected  to 
do  any  work  ;  and  when  I  announced  that  bantering 
remark  to  the  members  of  the  circle,  it  created  great 
merriment. 

Mr.  Harnett  is  a  gentleman  who  has  always  about 
him  an  air  of  reserve,  being  at  the  same  time  clever 
and  courtly  with  old-school  dignity  of  manner,  but 
one  who,  withal,  can  unbend  and  become  a  charming 
companion. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ira  P.  Warren,  of  New  York,  whom 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harnett  numbered  amongst  their 
closest  friends,  were  regular  summer  guests  at  the 
United  States. 

I  was  very  much  pleased  one  morning  when  Mrs. 
Rutter  greeted  me  and  said  that  she  had  just  re- 
ceived a  letter  from  her  daughter  at  Long  Branch, 


CAPT.  WARREN  C.   BEACH. 


The  Memorable  Season  of  'Ninety-Four.       1 8 1 


Mrs.  Baudouine,  and  that  she  had  sent  her  kind  re- 
gards to  me.  I  of  course  assured  the  good  lady  that 
I  felt  more  than  grateful  to  have  my  name  kept  on 
the  roll  of  remembrance,  and  begged  that  she  would 
thank  her  daughter  for  me. 

A  fine  musicale,  delightfully  informal  in  its  nature, 
was  given  in  the  Blue  Parlor  on  Saturday,  Aug.  i8th, 
in  which  several  accomplished  amateurs  took  part. 
The  musicale  was  for  the  benefit  of  the  Home  of  the 
Good  Shepherd,  and  Mrs.  Henry  Thompson  of  New 
York,  as  the  leading  spirit  of  the  enterprise,  is  entitled 
to  much  gratitude.  Mrs.  Thompson,  Mr.  E.  Berry 
Wall,  Mrs.  C.  J.  Collis  were  singers,  and  it  is  enough 
to  say  that  they  sang  in  a  manner  beautiful  as  them- 
selves, being  also  assisted  by  Mr.  George  Stuart 
Smith  of  Boston.  Mr.  Charles  Smith  acted  as  pian- 
ist, while  Mrs.  Wall  sang  "  Ave  Maria,"  by  Gounod, 
with  violin  accompaniment,  Mr.  C.  W.  Stub  of  the 
United  States  Hotel  Orchestra  being  first  violinist. 
The  musicale  included  solos,  duett,  and  choruses ; 
and  at  the  conclusion  of  the  delightful  affair  the  snug 
sum  of  two  hundred  and  eighty  dollars  was  raised 
and  turned  over  to  the  treasurer  of  the  Home,  Mrs. 
Linsly,  Mrs.  Stewart  and  Mrs.  Lawton  receiving  the 
contributions. 

Among  the  belles  at  the  States  are  Miss  L.  T. 
Wilcox,  of  New  York,  one  of  the  handsomest  blondes 
who  has  been  here  for  several  seasons.  Miss  N.  A. 
Devereux,  of  Philadelphia,  the  niece  of  Mr.  Antelo, 
and  Miss  Jennie  Seasongood,  a  tall,  stately  girl  and 
a  perfect  dancer,  are  both  among  the  aristocracy  of 
Beauty ;  and  among  the  beautiful  matrons  is  Mrs. 


1 82  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

Thomas  H.  Burchard,  of  New  York,  who  attracts 
attention  every  afternoon  by  her  graceful  riding 
on  Union  Avenue,  with  a  groom  in  attendance. 
Her  husband,  Doctor  Burchard,  is  himself  a  hand- 
some man,  and  they  arrived  at  the  hotel  last  year  as 
bride  and  groom.  Another  very  pretty  woman  and 
greatly  admired  is  Mrs.  Alexander  B.  Johnson.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  W.  H.  Clark,  of  New  York,  with  their  two 
boys  are  also  here,  and  notably  Mr.  John  Gardiner 
and  wife  of  Norwalk,  Ohio,  the  oldest  active  banker 
in  that  state.  Other  guests  are  : — Mr.  and  Mrs.  W. 
E.  Dodge,  Henry  S.  Rokenbaugh,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Henry  Parish,  all  of  New  York ;  Rev.  and  Mrs. 
Oliver  Crane  of  Boston,  who  came  to  the  States 
after  the  close  of  the  Clarendon,  and  Judge  E.  T. 
Bartlett  and  bride,  who  are  spending  a  few  days  with 
us  before  proceeding  into  the  Adirondacks ;  Mr. 
Justus  Hotchkiss  and  wife  of  New  Haven,  Conn.  ; 
Miss  W.  E.  Turnball  and  Miss  A.  J.  Gumersell  of 
Mohawk,  N.  J. ;  Mrs.  William  H.  Townsend,  Doctor 
and  Mrs.  George  G.  Wheelock,  Mr.  W.  H.  Wheelock, 
Doctor  and  Mrs.  David  Webster  and  Miss  Andrews, — 
all  these  swelled  the  lists  during  the  prosperous  year 
of  '94. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wormser,  accompanied  by  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Jefferson  Seligman,  rarely  miss  coming  to  Sara- 
toga during  the  season.  Mr.  Wormser's  stay  is  brief, 
but  the  rest  of  the  family  usually  remain  until  late 
in  September.  It  is  pleasant  for  me  to  say  of  Mr. 
Wormser  that  he  is  one  of  the  most  approachable  and 
courteous  of  men  ;  he  cares  little  for  society,  except 
the  company  of  a  few  friends ;  in  fact,  he  is  so  ab- 


The  Memorable  Season  of  'Ninety-Four.       183 


sorbed  in  his  business  that  I  think  nothing  possesses 
for  him  the  attraction  that  he  finds  in  his  banking 
house.  He  is  a  very  domestic  man,  fond  of  reading 
and  study,  preferring  a  quiet  life  to  a  gay  one,  spend- 
ing most  of  his  leisure  time  at  home.  Mr.  Wormser 
is  generous  in  the  extreme  and  a  liberal  donator  to 
worthy  institutions. 

Time  has  lightly  touched  Mrs.  Wormser,  only 
sprinkling  with  gray  her  abundant  dark  hair  which 
is  combed  a  la  pompadour  above  a  sweet  face.  Her 
large  dark  eyes  are  filled  with  loving  and  kindly 
light ;  she  is  the  kind  of  woman  into  whose  orbs  we 
look  and  believe  in  heaven.  She  has  one  of  the 
sunniest  and  best  of  dispositions  in  the  world,  and  it 
is  said  that  this  good  lady  is  noted  for  her  unstinted 
charity  and  benevolence. 

Jefferson  Seligman  is  a  young  man  of  marked 
personality  and  has  many  qualities  which  endear 
him  to  his  friends.  He  is  regarded  as  the  soul  of 
honor  and  typifies  American  youth  and  manhood  in 
its  best  and  highest  sense.  At  his  place  of  business 
as  well  as  in  his  home,  he  is  always  the  same  unself- 
ish friend  and  finished  gentleman.  His  elegant  and 
hospitable  residence  stands  on  6gth  Street,  the  aris- 
tocratic thoroughfare  of  the  East  side  of  New  York 
City,  near  Fifth  Avenue,  and  all  its  appointments 
are  in  exquisite  taste. 

Mr.  Seligman's  affectionate  devotion  to  his  wife 
has  brought  out  one  of  the  pleasantest  sides  of  his 
character.  Mrs.  Seligman  is  the  daughter  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Isador  Wormser,  and  is  a  lady  of  striking 
presence  and  engaging  manners.  Her  taste  in  dress 


1 84  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

is  extremely  quiet,  and  she  is  not  fond  of  display. 
She  is  a  brunette,  tall  and  stately,  and  deports  her- 
self so  regally  that  the  stranger  turns  to  look  after 
her  and  inquire  who  she  is.  Altogether  the  Selig- 
mans  are  a  handsome  couple.  They  have  never 
shown,  while  in  Saratoga,  a  particular  fondness  for 
society,  in  the  commonly  accepted  sense. 

Pleasant  in  my  memory  during  the  season  of  1894 
at  the  hotel,  was  Mrs.  Alfred  W.  Richmond,  of  560 
West  End  Avenue,  New  York  City,  and  her  pretty 
daughter,  Rosalind. 

Mrs.  Richmond  is  rather  of  the  Spanish  type  of 
beauty,  with  dreamy  dark  eyes.  Her  voice  is  soft 
and  of  silvery  sweetness  and  her  manners  perfectly 
fascinating.  Her  symmetrical  figure  is  always  richly 
and  becomingly  gowned  and  she  makes  a  picture  to 
delight  an  artist.  A  rare  and  never  failing  courtesy 
and  consideration  for  others  endears  her  to  all. 

Miss  Rosalind  Richmond  is  a  bewitching  young 
maiden,  charming  in  simplicity.  She  has  scarcely 
bloomed  into  womanhood,  but  when  nature  shall 
have  matured  this  beautiful  bud,  a  woman  of  most 
perfect  ideality  of  face  and  form  will  make  her  debut 
in  the  social  \vorld,  where  she  will  surely  receive  the 
admiration  her  myriad  charms  deserve — 

'  To  love  and  be  loved 
Is  the  one  grand  dream  of  a  maiden's  life." 

And  I  pause  to  say  that  constancy,  gentleness,  and 
dignity  are  the  true,  the  irresistible  "  charms  "  that 
win  hearts,  and  who  wins  a  heart  wins  all,  "  for  love 
is  all." 


The  Memorable  Season  of  'Ninety-Four.       185 

Before  the  season  closed  Mrs.  Richmond  and 
daughter  went  to  the  Heustis  House  for  a  short 
time  but  soon  returned  to  the  United  States,  where 
they  were  comfortably  domiciled  until  they  bade 
farewell  to  the  Spa. 

Cottage  life  is  every  season  becoming  more  and 
more  a  feature  of  Saratoga,  and  it  is  only  a  matter 
of  a  few  years  when  Newport,  which  has  always  been 
noted  for  its  handsome  villas,  will  be  surpassed  in 
this  respect.  Many  of  the  finest  residences  are  on 
North  Broadway. 

Among  the  most  ardent  admirers  of  the  beauties 
of  Saratoga  and  the  comforts  of  cottage  life,  are  the 
Hon.  Edward  Murphy,  Jr.  and  family,  of  Troy,  who 
always  pass  their  summers  here  in  their  luxurious 
home  in  the  Trojan  Colony.  And  just  here  I  am 
reminded  of  a  clipping  taken  from  the  Washington 
Post,  and  which  I  most  cheerfully  give  a  place: 

"  Senator  Murphy  of  New  York  is  one  of  the  most 
interesting  men  in  the  Senate.  He  is  a  worker,  not  a 
talker.  He  has  not  made  a  speech  since  he  took  his 
seat.  He  never  obtrudes  himself  upon  public  attention. 
His  seat  is  away  over  in  the  corner  of  the  Senate  cham- 
ber, at  the  further  end  of  the  rear  row,  where  he  can 
almost  touch  the  white  and  gold  wall  of  the  room  with 
his  hand. 

"  It  is  indicative  of  the  character  of  the  man  that 
every  senator  on  both  sides  of  the  center  aisle  has  found 
his  way  to  Mr.  Murphy's  desk.  There  is  no  man  in  the 
Senate  more  popular  than  Mr.  Murphy.  Even  the  men 
who  disagree  with  him  in  politics  love  to  sit  down  with 
him,  listen  to  his  well-told  stories,  and  catch  something  of 


1 86  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


the  charming  geniality  and  delightful  good  nature  which 
make  the  atmosphere  around  him  one  of  continual  sun- 
shine." 

Mr.  Murphy  is  a  man  of  wealth.  He  has  the 
happy  faculty  of  making  money  and  the  still  hap- 
pier faculty  of  enjoying  it.  His  business  enterprises 
— and  he  has  a  multitude  of  them — have  all  pros- 
pered. Sociable  to  the  last  degree,  fond  of  com- 
panionable society,  he  is  nevertheless  a  devotee  of 
home.  His  home  life  is  as  sunny  as  his  own  nature. 
He  has  a  five-year-old  daughter,  Ellie,  whom  he 
idolizes.  "  Ellie,"  says  he,  "  I  want  you  to  dance." 
Then  one  of  the  older  daughters  goes  to  the  piano 
and  starts  a  lively  tune,  while  the  pretty  little  baby 
girl  steps  out  into  the  middle  of  the  floor  and  exe- 
cutes a  clever  imitation  of  the  skirt  dance.  She  has 
only  an  audience  of  one.  The  politician  has  forgot- 
ten offices  and  organization,  the  senator  has  cast 
aside  the  cares  of  state,  the  man  of  business  is  no 
longer  troubled  by  affairs.  There  is  nothing  in  the 
world  for  him  but  a  little  girl  dancing.  It  is  a 
picture  worthy  of  a  page  in  the  greatest  novel  which 
Dickens  ever  wrote. 

The  Quaker  City  is  ably  represented  by  Mr.  S.  K 
Nixon  and  his  interesting  family,  including  their  fair 
young  daughter,  little  Miss  Carrie  Nixon,  who  is  a 
bright  young  Miss  of  brunette  beauty  and  a  graceful 
dancer. 

One  of  the  episodes  of  1894  prominent  enough  to 
mark  an  epoch  was  the  successful  inauguration  of 
the  magnificent  festival  called  the  Floral  Fete,  and 


The  Memorable  Season  of  'Ninety-Four.       187 

which  takes  its  place  in  the  Saratoga  Calendar  as 
Floral  Day.  It  is  to  take  place  annually,  and  be- 
comes an  added  attraction  to  the  already  manifold 
entertainments  which  go  to  make  the  greater  and 
grander  Saratoga ;  and  closing  each  year  as  this 
with  a  ball  which  makes  a  social  function  worthy 
to  be  called  a  climax  of  the  great  festival,  it  will 
justify  my  quotation  of  these  appropriate  lines  : 

"  For  wheresoe'er  I  turn  my  ravished  eyes 
Gay  gilded  scenes  and  shining  prospects  rise  ; 
Poetic  fields  encompass  me  around 
And  still  I  seem  to  tread  on  classic  ground." 

It  is  not  a  little  curious  to  recall  the  importance 
of  Tuesday  over  and  above  all  the  days  of  the  week 
during  the  month  of  September.  The  German  god 
for  whom  Tuesday  was  named  ought  to  be  proud 
that  the  Floral  Fete,  the  Knights  Templars'  Assem- 
bly, the  Convention  of  the  People's  Party  and  the 
Democratic  State  Convention,  besides  the  Unitarian 
Conference  of  the  nation  were  all  held  on  that 
favored  day. 

The  fifteenth  biennial  Conference  of  the  Uni- 
tarian Church,  as  well  as  the  Assemblies  of  other 
churches,  is  in  session  here,  and  they  have  naturally 
brought  to  the  village  many  distinguished  persons, 
among  whom  may  be  mentioned  United  States 
Senator  George  F.  Hoar,  Rev.  Edward  Everett 
Hale,  Rev.  Dr.  George  I.  Chancy,  Rev.  Joseph  H. 
Crocker,  and  Prof.  Francis  G.  Peabody  of  Harvard 
University. 

I  requested   Mr.  Hale  to  write  his  name  for  me ; 


1 88  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


and  he  at  once  took  up  his  pen  and  wrote  the  fol- 
lowing, which  now  lies  before  me  : 

"  I  am  glad  to  do  what  you  wish. 

Edward  E.  Hale, 

Roxbury,  Mass., 

Sept.  27,  1894." 

And  I  may  add  here  a  remark  of  Doctor  Hale's, 
that  the  five  great  American  poets,  Longfellow, 
Whittier,  Bryant,  Lowell,  and  Holmes  were  all 
Unitarians  ;  and  Doctor  Hale  gives  as  the  reason 
for  this,  which  many,  however,  will  think  a  not: 
sequiter,  that  the  poet  must  be  a  prophet,  and  the 
prophet  must  be  a  Unitarian.  I  have  also  in  my 
possession  a  card  handed  me  by  a  lady  who  seemed 
to  be  one  of  the  chief  women  among  the  good 
Unitarians,  which  reads: 

"  Mrs.  Frederick  Rowling  Tibbitts, 
Linden  Place, 

Brookline,  Mass." 

I  will  add  just  here  that,  although  I  am  myself  a 
member  of  another  denomination,  my  father  lived 
and  died  a  devoted  Unitarian  in  Charleston,  S.  C, 
attending  Rev.  Dr.  Oilman's  church  in  that  city  ; 
and  in  the  old  churchyard,  close  by  the  church 
in  which  he  worshipped,  and  which  is  still  stand- 
ing, all  that  is  mortal  of  my  dear  father  lies  buried, 
awaiting  that  great  day  when  all  our  little  creeds 
shall  be  forgotten  in  the  glory  of  the  heavenly  life. 

With  much  pleasure  I  insert  this  article  from  the 
Washington  Journal,  which  speaks  for  itself  • 


The  Memorable  Season  of  'Ninety-Four.       189 

"  The  romantic  marriage  of  Mr.  E.  Berry  Wall  and 
the  beautiful  Miss  Melbourne,  has  been  all  the  talk  of 
all  Washington.  It  was  a  genuine  surprise  and  took 
the  friends  of  both  parties  off  their  feet. 

"  Mr.  Wall  has  been  in  and  out  of  the  Capital  fre- 
quently for  a  year  past  and  his  attentions  were  delight- 
fully distributed  among  the  belles,  and  they  thought 
they  had  him  safe  for  another  society  season  in  their 
charmed  circles,  where  the  women  are  many  and  gal- 
lants are  few  and  not  to  be  despised.  Mr.  Wall  was 
popular  with  the  fair  sex  and  most  of  them  were  proud 
of  him  as  an  escort  upon  the  race-course,  the  theatres, 
or  an  evening's  entertainment. 

"  Miss  Melbourne  returned  only  a  few  weeks  ago 
from  a  six  months'  visit  to  her  sister  in  London,  and 
as  Mr.  Wall  had  not  been  abroad  and  had  not  been 
attentive  before  her  departure,  it  is  rumored  that  the 
courtship  was  short  and  sweet. 

"  Mrs.  Wall  made  her  first  appearance  in  society  last 
winter.  She  has  a  fine,  well-trained  voice,  and  this  gift, 
added  to  her  fascinating  face  and  winsome  manner,  won 
her  many  encomiums  last  season.  She  is  tall  and  stylish 
and  dresses  with  exquisite  taste.  Her  hair  is  a  rich 
brown,  with  glints  of  gold.  Her  eyes  are  dark  blue  and 
large  and  intellectual.  Her  eyebrows  and  lashes  are  black 
and  contrast  charmingly  with  her  golden  crown  of  tresses. 

"  Her  pretty  mouth  is  full  of  sound  snowy  teeth,  which 
she  displays  with  her  sunny  smiles.  She  is  about  5  feet 
7  inches  in  stature  and  carries  herself  regally.  She  is 
about  19  years  of  age.  While  in  London  she  was  the 
cynosure  of  a  coterie  of  ardent  admirers.  She  was  at 
the  reception  given  by  water-color  artists  last  spring 
and  the  Prince  of  Wales  was  so  struck  with  her  beauty 
and  brightness  that  he  asked  to  be  presented. 


190  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

(  Tying  her  bonnet  under  her  chin 
She  tied  a  young  man's  heart  within.' 

"  Mrs.  Wall's  sister,  who  is  a  glorious  looking  blonde, 
married  a  rich  Englishman  named  Stone,  who  died  a 
year  or  two  ago,  leaving  her  a  splendid  fortune.  She 
is  now  engaged  to  Captain  Mostyn,  of  the  English 
Army,  who  is  a  brother  of  Lord  Vaux." 

Mr.  and  Mrs  Wall  came  to  us  in  Saratoga  as  bride 
and  groom,  the  bride  a  vision  of  girlish  beauty. 

"  How  charming  was  her  presence  with  us  here, 
How  kind  she  was  in  all  her  words  and  ways  ; 
Her  life  seemed  like  the  purest  atmosphere 
Of  radiant  eyes  and  tranquil,  cloudless  days." 

Among  the  Jewish  guests  this  year  there  are  some 
excellent  families,  who  have  been  coming  to  the 
States  as  regularly  as  the  coming  of  the  seasons ; 
and  I  most  cheerfully  say  that  they  are  as  fine  a 
people  as  I  ever  came  in  contact  with.  They  have 
become  not  only  very  prominent  but  very  profitable 
patrons  at  the  Spa.  But  there  is  often  to  be  ob- 
served in  this  country,  as  in  other  lands,  the  same 
intolerance  in  public  opinion  toward  the  Jewish 
people ;  a  fact  to  be  lamented  and  condemned. 
Manhood,  merit,  and  usefulness  will  always  compel 
recognition  in  a  free  country,  however,  without  dis- 
tinction of  creed  or  race.  And  may  the  following 
incident  become  an  example  to  all  religious  sects  in 
America  : 

"  The  Gentiles  and  Jews  of  St.  Louis  dwell  in  a  state 
of  religious  harmony  that  is  beautiful  to  behold,  and 


The  Memorable  Season  of  'Ninety-Four.       191 


should  serve  as  a  lesson  to  those  whose  apparent  mission 
in  life  is  to  belittle  sombody  else's  creed  or  opinion. 
For  almost  two  years,  while  erecting  a  new  synagogue, 
the  congregation  of  Temple  Israel  held  their  services  in 
the  First  Christian  Church.  In  acknowledging  the  gen- 
erous courtesy,  Rabbi  Sonneschein  sent  Pastor  Barthol- 
omew a  very  graceful  letter,  including  a  blessing  upon 
the  church  which  opened  its  doors  to  the  Jews.  '  This 
your  kindness,'  he  said,  '  was  one  more  of  those  precious 
links  in  the  golden  chain  of  mutual  recognition  which 
under  the  fostering  arms  of  true  American  civilization 
reconciles  the  disciples  of  Moses  and  the  disciples  of 
Jesus.  May  this  godly  spirit  increase  as  the  years  roll 
on.  May  this  Eternal  Lord  of  Hosts,  the  God  of  Israel, 
bless  your  church  and  all  your  hopes  and  plans.  For 
my  brethren's  sake,  and  friends'  sake,  I  bespeak  peace 
for  thee.' " 

I  could  not  close  this  chapter  in  a  happier  and 
truer  way  than  by  giving  this  good-bye  to  Saratoga : 

"  Another  beautiful  Summer  has  gone,  and  Autumn, 
wrapped  in  her  misty  robes  and  haloed  with  a  crimson 
and  golden  glory,  comes  over  the  distant  hill-tops  to 
linger  a  little  while  in  our  midst,  like  a  beautiful  shadow 
of  the  Summer  which  has  flown,  and  to  which  we  must 
bid  a  sad  adieu  when  stern  old  Winter  comes  at  last. 
The  time  has  come  to  say  good-bye  to  Saratoga.  The 
gay  season  is  over,  and  only  bright  memories  of  all  the 
brilliant  scenes  which  have  just  passed,  come  to  take 
their  place.  But  go  where  you  will,  in  Europe  or  Amer- 
ica, there  is  no  other  Saratoga,  no  other  place  which 
offers  so  much  to  the  Summer  guest,  whether  he  is  in 
search  of  health,  rest,  or  pleasure  ;  for  Saratoga  is  all 


192 


Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


things  to  all  men.  It  is  a  miniature  world  in  itself  ;  and 
here  you  may  be  grave  or  gay,  wise  or  foolish,  giddy  or 
devout,  as  the  mood  seizes  you.  And  the  man  or  woman 
who  cannot  be  charmed  with  Saratoga  must  indeed  be 
hard  to  please,  and  would  fail  to  be  delighted  anywhere 
on  the  earth." 


CHAPTER   X. 

SOME   OF   THE    MOST    PROMINENT    EVENTS    IN    THE 
SOCIETY   WORLD. 

IN  writing  this  chapter  of  my  reminiscences  of 
Saratoga,  I  shall  let  political  events  take  pre- 
cedence of  social  life  for  the  moment,  and 
refer  to  the  advent  of  Honorable  Levi  P.  Morton  as 
Governor  of  the  Empire  State.  The  inauguration 
took  place  here  in  Albany,  Jan.  1st,  and  the  cere- 
monies included  a  public  reception  at  the  State 
Capitol  and  open  house  at  the  Executive  Mansion  ; 
and  the  occasion  was  delightful  in  every  way. 
Palms,  flowers,  soft  music,  bright  eyes,  glad  greet- 
ings, and,  pervading  all,  an  atmosphere  of  cultured 
refinement  conspired  to  produce  a  scene  which  must 
have  made  the  hallowed  walls  of  the  fine  old  man- 
sion swell  with  pride. 

"  Bright  the  lamps  shone  o'er  fair  women  and  brave  men. 
A  thousand  hearts  beat  happily." 

And   each  new-comer  was  greeted  with  a  warm 
pressure  of  the  hand  by  the  Governor,  while  Mrs. 

193 


194  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

Morton  added  a  smile  which  increased  ten-fold  the 
warmth  of  the  welcome. 

Mrs.  Morton  is  a  superb  entertainer.  Tall  and 
handsome,  of  queenly  presence,  she  displays  also 
great  taste  in  the  art  of  dress,  and  is  a  born  hostess. 
Governor  Morton  can  be  truthfully  described  as  a 
man  of  scholarly  attainments,  chivalrous  in  manner, 
honorable  in  principles,  a  man  of  the  most  pleasing 
address,  supported  by  the  highest  moral  character. 
A  correspondent's  account  of  Mr.  Morton  at  his 
country-seat  says  that  he  has  grown  into  the  hearts 
of  his  neighbors  as  an  easily-approachable,  genial 
and  charitable  man ;  and  he  probably  stands  higher 
to-day  in  Rhinebeck  than  any  of  the  wealthy  and 
long-established  families  whose  estates  surround  his 
own.  The  Governor's  household  is  beautifully  com- 
pleted in  the  persons  of  his  bright  and  accomplished 
daughters,  Miss  Morton  being  worthily  supported 
in  all  social  functions  by  the  Misses  Lena,  Helen, 
Alice,  and  Mary. 

The  official  family  of  the  Governor  besides  Col. 
Ashley  W.  Cole,  his  private  secretary,  whose  com- 
mission was  the  first  of  all  to  be  signed  by  the  new 
Executive,  consists  of  the  following  staff  officers  : 

Col.  E.  A.  McAlpin,  of  Sing-Sing,  Adjutant- 
General  and  Chief  of  Staff,  with  the  rank  of  Major- 
General  ;  Lieutenant-Colonel  Frederick  C.  McLewee, 
of  New  York,  Inspector-General,  with  rank  of  Brig- 
adier-General ;  Captain  Benjamin  Flagler,  U.  S.  V., 
of  Niagara  Falls,  Commissary-General  and  Chief 
of  Ordnance,  to  succeed  the  present  incumbent  at 
the  close  of  his  term  in  February,  with  the  rank 


HON.   LEVI   P.   MORTON. 


Some  Prominent  Events.  195 

of  Brigadier-General ;  William  C.  Wallace,  of  Brook- 
lyn, Judge  Advocate-General  with  rank  of  Briga- 
dier-General ;  M.  O.  Terry,  M.D.,  of  Utica,  Surgeon- 
General  ;  Colonel  Edmund  Hayes,  C.  E.,  of  Buffalo, 
Chief  of  Engineers  ;  Howard  Carroll,  of  New  York, 
Chief  of  Artillery;  W.  S.  C.  Wiley,  of  Catskill, 
Quarter-Master-General  ;  Colonel  James  M.  Var- 
num,  of  New  York,  Paymaster-General ;  E.  C. 
O'Brien,  of  Plattsburg,  Commissary-General  of 
Subsistence ;  General  B.  M.  Whitlock,  of  New 
York,  Inspector-General  of  Rifle  Practice ; — all  these 
whose  rank  is  not  added  having  that  of  Major-Gen- 
eral. Archibald  Rogers,  of  Hyde  Park,  Charles 
Francis  James  and  John  Jacob  Astor,  of  Rhine- 
beck  ;  George  W.  Turner,  George  Bliss  Agnew  and 
Herbert  Livingston  Satterlee,  of  New  York,  were 
selected  to  represent  the  State  Militia  on  the  staff, 
which,  as  a  whole,  is  at  once  dignified  and  popular. 

It  gives  me  much  pleasure  to  say  that  if  Governor 
Flower  had  been  turning  over  the  State  government 
to  a  successor  of  his  own  political  faith,  as  he  un- 
doubtedly would  like  to  have  done,  he  could  not 
have  been  more  polite  in  his  demeanor  and  more 
hearty  in  his  congratulations  than  he  was  to  Gov- 
ernor Morton. 

From  the  many  descriptions  of  the  inaugural 
ceremonies,  with  its  social  additions,  I  append  the 
following  : 

"Governor  Morton  shook  about  3,000  hands,  but 
he  did  not  seem  to  mind  the  strain.  Colonel  Marvin 
stood  at  the  Governor's  side  and  ascertained  the  name 


196  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

of  each  one  before  presentation.  In  the  crowd  that 
passed  along  were  many  women  and  children.  For 
over  an  hour  the  congratulations  and  greetings  con- 
tinued. General  Fitzgerald  and  staff  of  the  First  Brig- 
ade and  General  Oliver  and  staff  of  the  Third  Brigade 
were  also  presented." 

After  the  public  reception  immediately  following 
the  inaugural  ceremonies,  a  group  picture  was  taken 
of  the  Governor  and  his  staff. 

The  reception  in  the  executive  mansion  from 
two  o'clock  until  five,  was  one  of  the  most  brill- 
iant assemblages  Albany  has  ever  witnessed.  The 
weather  was  perfect,  and  a  general  feeling  of  con- 
tentment was  visible  everywhere.  The  mansion 
was  beautifully  decorated  with  palms  and  ferns,  and 
from  all  the  mantels  roses  and  lilies  and  violets 
smiled  down  at  the  happy  faces  below,  and  great 
clusters  of  lilies  lifted  up  white  chalices  amid  a  sea 
of  waving  maidenhair  and  moss  fern.  Rare  cut 
flowers  ornamented  cornice,  niche,  and  bracket,  and 
the  air  was  redolent  with  perfume. 

Just  inside  the  great  arch  of  the  drawing-room 
stood  the  receiving  party,  the  Governor  and  Mrs. 
Morton,  Miss  Morton,  Miss  Lena  Morton  and  Miss 
Helen  Morton,  Mrs.  John  Palmer,  wife  of  the  Secre- 
tary of  State,  Mrs.  McAlpin,  wife  of  the  Adjutant- 
General,  Mrs.  Corning,  Miss  Corning,  Mrs.  J.  V.  L. 
Pruyn,  Miss  Pruyn,  Mrs.  Marvin,  Miss  Marvin,  Miss 
Parker,  Miss  Grace  Parker,  Mrs.  Harmon  Read.  Mrs. 
Schuyler  Crosby,  Miss  Angelica  Crosby,  Mrs.  Fred- 
erick Townsend,  Mrs.  Robert  Shaw  Oliver,  Miss 


Some  Prominent  Events.  197 

Oliver,  Miss  Cora  Oliver,  Mrs.  William  Barnes,  Jr., 
and  others,  whose  magnificent  costumes  against  the 
picturesque  background  of  dark  green  palms,  pre- 
sented a  scene  of  unrivalled  beauty. 

In  the  doorway  of  one  of  the  ladies'  small  rooms, 
opening  into  the  great  hall,  stood  the  two  youngest 
daughters  of  Governor  Morton,  Misses  Alice  and 
Mary,  simply  and  prettily  attired  in  light  gray 
crepon  with  lace  trimmings,  and  with  a  look  on 
their  fair  rosy  faces  that  seemed  to  express  a  desire 
to  be  grown  up  also  and  mingle  among  the  throng 
of  beauties  in  the  drawing-room. 

There  was  a  constant  throng  of  visitors  from 
two  o'clock  until  five  and  the  rooms  were  crowded 
with  men  and  women  in  handsome  costumes.  The 
gay  uniforms  of  Gen.  Oliver's,  Gen.  Fitzgerald's 
and  the  Governor's  staff  gave  the  necessary  touch 
of  gallantry  and  chivalry  to  the  company,  and  stood 
out  conspicuously  in  a  single  line  reaching  to  the 
reception  room.  Col.  Marvin  of  the  Governor's 
staff  was  master  of  ceremonies,  which  office  he 
performed  in  the  most  courtly  and  gracious  manner. 
The  hospitality  of  the  mansion  was  dispensed  from 
tables  laden  with  delicious  refreshments,  in  the  side 
dining-rooms,  and  all  the  while  the  orchestra  dis- 
coursed sweet  music. 

Mrs.  Morton  wore  a  superb  gown  of  brocade  silk 
with  a  Worth  collar,  sleeve  puffs  and  skirt  panels  of 
heliotrope  velvet  richly  embroidered.  Her  corsage 
bouquet  was  of  violets,  and  her  ornaments  were  dia- 
monds and  pearls.  Miss  Morton  wore  a  gown  of 
pink  satin  and  white  velvet,  and  a  cluster  of  violets 


198  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

on  her  breast.  Miss  Lena  Morton  wore  a  dainty 
gown  of  light  blue  silk  and  crepon  with  czarina 
stock  and  puff  sleeves  of  velvet.  Miss  Helen  Mor- 
ton was  in  light  blue  silk  with  trimmings  of  lace  and 
violets.  Mrs.  Palmer  wore  a  magnificent  gown  of 
lavender  silk  and  black  lace.  Mrs.  McAlpin  wore 
white  satin  and  pink  plush.  Mrs.  Erastus  Corning 
wore  an  elegant  costume  of  black  satin  and  bro- 
caded silk  with  the  collar,  cuffs,  and  panels  of  the 
skirt  richly  embroidered  in  gold. 

How  great  the  contrast,  how  intensely  American 
the  scene,  to  go  down  with  the  Governor  to  quiet 
and  beautiful  "  Ellerslie  "  on  the  Hudson,  and  enjoy 
communion  with  that  mother  Nature  who  gives 
laws  alike  to  nations  and  men.  As  it  was  happily 
described  by  the  New  York  Herald  : 

"  It  is  a  view  complete  in  every  detail  of  Nature's 
bounty  and  of  historical  suggestion.  Mountain  and 
mead,  lake  and  river,  lie  before  you  in  perfect  combi- 
nation. Smooth  lawns  and  parterres  of  flowers  fill  in  the 
foreground.  Beyond  are  waving  fields  of  corn  nestling 
in  the  embrace  of  forest  trees  ;  and  the  perspective  shows 
glimpses  of  fine  old  manors  dotting  the  banks  of  the  river, 
until  lost  in  the  dim  line  of  the  Poughkeepsie  bridge. 

"  There  is  '  Claremont,'  whence  Chancellor  Livingston 
first  saw  his  venturesome  steamboat  making  slow  way  up 
the  Hudson  twenty  years  after  he  had  administered  the 
oath  of  office  to  General  George  Washington,  as  first 
President  of  the  United  States. 

"  Beyond  is  the  old  home  of  Edward  Livingston,  Chief 
Secretary  under  President  Jackson.  At  Hyde  Park  you 
can  distinguish  the  fine  old  colonial  residence  of  Gov- 


Some  Prominent  Events.  199 


ernor  Morgan  Lewis,  who  beat  Aaron  Burr  in  the  race 
for  the  Governorship  of  New  York,  and  there  too  is  the 
house  of  Nathaniel  Pendleton,  who  was  Hamilton's  sec- 
ond when  Burr  shot  him  dead. 

"  From  '  Ellerslie  '  you  can  catch  the  spires  of  Kings- 
ton, where  the  Empire  State  of  New  York  first  saw  the 
breath  of  life,  and  the  Federal  Constitution  was  only 
accepted  by  the  delegates  after  Hamilton  and  Jay  had 
exhausted  their  eloquence  and  pleading. 

"  Sitting  on  '  Ellerslie's  '  piazza  with  Mr.  Morton,  as  he 
pointed  out  the  beauties  and  histories  of  such  a  picture, 
I  ventured  to  lead  the  conversation  to  his  own  well- 
rounded  out  career,  which  might  fill  as  large  and  inter- 
esting a  picture  as  the  one  we  were  observing. 

"  It  was  on  the  eve  of  Mr.  Morton's  nomination  by  the 
Republican  party  to  be  Governor  of  the  Empire  State. 
Trains  were  rolling  by  '  Ellerslie  '  crammed  with  enthusi- 
astic delegates  to  the  Saratoga  convention.  The  blare 
of  a  brass  band  came  up  from  the  river  as  a  special 
slowed  up  at  Rhinebeck  station. 

"  The  nominee  was  as  calm  and  undisturbed  as  if  a 
village  caucus  were  in  progress.  He  bears  his  three 
score  years  and  ten  superbly.  He  was  born  on  May 
16,  1824.  He  stands  erect.  His  ruddy  complexion  is 
unfurrowed.  His  keen  blue  eye  is  undimned,  and  he 
would  be  active  were  there  not  a  slight  trace  of  lame- 
ness, resulting  from  an  operation  upon  his  foot.  This, 
however,  only  comes  from  a  lack  of  circulation,  which 
the  French  surgeons  say  will  speedily  remedy  itself.  It 
is  to  the  enforced  quiet  which  followed  the  operation 
that  Mr.  Morton  attributes  much  of  his  present  vigorous 
health.  His  manner,  of  course,  is  that  of  the  man  of 
the  world.  His  speech  is  straightforward  and  devoid  of 
affectation." 


2OO  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


There  is  no  politics  in  this  book  of  mine.  Society 
does  not  move  on  political  lines,  nor  revolve  about 
the  axis  of  a  party.  It  is  fitting,  therefore,  that  I 
should  turn  backward  for  a  moment  from  the  doors 
of  office  that  opened  wide  to  a  Republican  governor, 
and  say  a  good  word  for  his  worthy  predecessor, 
the  Honorable  Roswell  P.  Flower.  And  as  Mr. 
Flower,  like  Mr.  Morton,  is  at  once  rich  and  gen- 
erous, I  turn  from  higher  authorities,  all  of  which 
are  as  one  voice  in  praise  of  these  two  public  men, 
and  will  give  a  workingman's  estimate  of  the  worth 
of  ex-Governor  Flower : 

"  Man  is  said  to  be  '  the  noblest  work  of  God.'  To 
merit  this  beautiful  title  man  should  possess  some  dis- 
tinguishing quality  worthy  of  his  Creator,  which  would 
elevate  him  above  the  lower  order  of  the  human  family, 
and  be  conspicuous  for  his  humanitarian  acts,  and  ex- 
emplify by  his  works  the  noble  design  of  his  Maker. 

"  How  many  men  in  public  life  to-day,  enjoying  the 
fruits  of  the  people's  suffrages,  can  justly  claim  to  be 
'the  noblest  work  of  God?'  Echo  answers:  few  and 
far  between. 

"  We  have  an  exception,  and  a  shining  example,  in  the 
person  of  our  esteemed  Governor,  who  is  not  content 
with  performing  faithfully  the  arduous  duties  of  his 
exalted  office.  He  goes  among  the  people  instructing 
them  ho\v  to  improve  their  moral  and  material  condi- 
tion, and  consequently  add  immeasurably  to  the  financial 
strength  and  general  intelligence  of  the  Empire  State. 

"  He  strictly  ignores  politics  or  anything,  in  fact,  that 
could  even  be  remotely  construed  into  self-interest. 
The  sole  ambition  of  his  stewardship  seems  to  be  con- 


Some  Prominent  Events.  201 


centrated  in  the  laudable  conception  of  bequeathing  to 
his  native  state  a  stainless  record,  an  honored  and  im- 
perishable fame  that  will  live  in  the  hearts  of  the  people, 
while  there  remains  a  citizen  to  lisp  the  name  of  Gover- 
nor Roswell  P.  Flower. 

"  His  kindness  is  perennial,  his  wisdom  inexhaustible 
and  his  charity  boundless.  Men  of  his  character  and 
life-work  are  surely  '  the  noblest  work  of  God.'  " 

Mr.  Flower's  recent  noble  conduct  in  turning  into 
the  U.  S.  Treasury  all  the  gold  which  he  found  in 
his  possession,  as  a  partial  relief  to  the  Government, 
is  not  the  only  kind  of  justification  of  the  working- 
man's  praise.  There  might  be  gathered  many  Sara- 
toga chips  of  his  generosity,  in  all  directions,  such, 
for  instance,  as  his  sending  a  check  of  $500  to  Rev. 
Dr.  Joseph  Carey,  rector  of  the  Bethesda  Episcopal 
Church,  to  cancel  the  debt  of  that  organization.  It 
is  a  blessing  indeed  for  the  Empire  State,  and  for 
the  country,  that  the  two  great  parties  have  the  ma- 
terial to  afford  and  the  disposition  to  honor  two  such 
men  as  these  noble,  faithful,  and  beneficent  Govern- 
ors have  been. 

While  we  are  still  in  Albany,  it  will  be  appropriate 
to  add  a  word  about  the  smart  set  of  the  Capital 
City  ;  and  no  better  illustration  of  the  inner  circle 
could  be  found  than  in  the  Corning  Ball,  given  by 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Erastus  Corning  for  their  debutante 
daughter,  Miss  Harriet  Corning ;  the  event  coming 
also  just  in  time  to  insure  the  crowning  presence  of 
the  Governor's  family.  Not  only  was  Albany  society 
fully  represented,  but  there  were  many  guests  from 
out  of  town,  and  the  scene  was  brilliant  in  the  ex- 


2O2  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

treme  ;  the  decorations  being  extremely  rich  and  the 
gowns  worn  such  as  have  not  been  seen  in  Albany 
for  many  years. 

Harmanus  Bleecker  Hall  had  been  transformed 
and  there  were  many  praises  for  the  exquisite  effect. 
Like  a  woodland  vista  looked  the  foyer,  so  rich  were 
the  decorations,  while  over  all  the  many  electroliers 
and  chandeliers  cast  a  bright  radiance.  The  decora- 
tions were  at  once  artistic  and  unique  in  their  sim- 
plicity. 

As  the  guests  entered  the  hall  they  were  ushered 
along  the  corridor,  the  ladies'  dressing-rooms  being 
arranged  at  the  back  of  the  stage,  in  the  usual 
dressing-rooms. 

Mrs.  Corning  and  her  daughter  were  ably  assisted 
in  receiving  by  Mrs.  Levi  P.  Morton  and  the  Misses 
Morton,  and  great  was  the  temptation  for  the  guests 
to  stop  for  a  moment's  chat  with  the  gracious 
hostesses. 

Mrs.  Corning  looked  extremely  handsome  in  a 
Ducet  gown  of  heavy  rose  pink  satin  brocade.  The 
trained  skirt  was  bordered  with  a  band  of  chinchilla 
fur,  and  the  decollete'  corsage  was  trimmed  with 
Russian  embroideries  in  gold,  studded  with  ame- 
thysts. Diamonds  gleamed  in  her  hair,  and  several 
superb  ornaments  were  caught  among  the  laces  and 
fur  bandeaux  upon  her  corsage.  A  spray  of  French 
flowers  in  pinkish-red  tintings  upon  the  shoulder 
completed  the  costume. 

Miss  Corning  looked  charming  in  a  white  satin 
Rouff  gown.  The  skirt  which  was  made  severely 
plain,  without  any  trimming,  flared  smartly  at  the 


Some  Prominent  Events.  203 


foot  and  back,  and  was  made  demi-train.  The  d£- 
collete  bodice  was  covered  with  accordion  pleated 
chiffon  finished  around  the  throat  and  pointed  cor- 
sage with  ruffles  of  the  chiffon,  turned  under  bands 
of  pearl  embroidery. 

Mrs.  Levi  P.  Morton  was  in  a  handsome  toilette  of 
heavy  white  satin,  made  en  traine  and  embroidered 
most  elaborately  in  silver.  Diamond  and  emerald 
stars  gleamed  in  her  snowy  coiffure,  and  a  necklace 
of  the  same  gems  flashed  around  her  throat. 

Miss  Morton,  a  tall,  graceful  blonde,  was  in  a 
demi-trained  gown  of  rose-pink  moir6,  trimmed  with 
chiffon  of  the  same  shade  and  white  ribbons.  Her 
ornaments  were  pearls. 

Miss  Lena  Morton,  who  stood  beside  her  mother, 
was  in  pale  green  peau  de  soie  with  bodice  and 
sleeves  of  chiffon. 

Among  those  present  were :  Miss  Robb,  Miss 
Duer  of  New  York,  the  guest  of  Mrs.  Marcus  T. 
Hun  ;  Miss  Norwood  and  Miss  Beaman  of  New 
York,  guests  of  Mrs.  Joel  Rathbone  ;  Miss  Hickock, 
of  Cleveland,  the  guest  of  the  Misses  Ward  ;  Miss 
Julia  Metcalfe,  of  Cold  Springs,  the  guest  of  Miss 
Parker ;  Col.  and  Mrs.  Barber,  of  New  York,  the 
guests  of  Mrs.  Schuyler  Crosby  ;  Miss  Thompson, 
of  St.  Louis,  the  guest  of  Miss  Alice  Martin  ;  Mr. 
Stott,  of  Stottville,  the  guest  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Will- 
iam Barnes,  Jr. ;  Miss  Fanchot,  the  guest  of  Mrs. 
Joel  Reed  ;  Miss  de  Sanaberry,  of  Quebec,  the  guest 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  F.  Tracey  ;  Miss  Davenport, 
of  New  York,  the  guest  of  Mrs.  Erastus  Corning  ; 
Miss  Hagger,  of  Kenwood,  the  guest  of  Mrs.  A. 


204  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

Bleecker  Banks ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joel  Rathbone,  Gen. 
and  Mrs.  Frederick  Townsend,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gerrit 
Yates  Lansing,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Barnes,  Jr., 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hamilton  Fish,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wm. 
Lawrence  Green,  Gen.  and  Mrs.  Selden  E.  Marvin, 
Mrs.  Joel  Reed,  Miss  Reed,  Mr.  Edward  Reed,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  E.  W.  Murphey,  Miss  Martha  Murphey, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wm.  M.  Whitney,  Miss  Whitney,  Mrs. 
Stott,  Col.  and  Mrs.  Harry  Curtis  Cushman,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Rufus  H.  King,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  Howard  King, 
Miss  Henrietta  King,  Gen.  and  Mrs.  Robert  Lenox 
Banks,  Maj.  Banks,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  Bleecker  Banks, 
Mrs.  J.  V.  L.  Pruyn,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robert  C.  Pruyn, 
Col.  and  Mrs.  Edward  Bowditch,  Miss  H.  L.  Pruyn, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  H.  McClure,  Mr.  Archibald 
McClure,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  W.  Byington,  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Edward  Gilbert  Cox,  Dr.  Frederick  J.  Cox,  Doctor 
Cox,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Cox,  Judge  and  Mrs.  Peck- 
ham,  Mr.  Henry  Peckham,  Judge  and  Mrs.  Learned, 
Miss  Learned,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jack  Rathbone,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  James  F.  Tracey,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Daniel  Leonard, 
Miss  Leonard,  Miss  Harriet  Olcott  Leonard,  Mrs. 
George  S.  Evans,  Miss  Redfield,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Abra- 
ham Lansing,  Judge  and  Mrs.  Andrews,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Frederick  Harris,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Marcus  T.  Hun,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Matthew  Hale,  Dr.  S.  B.  Ward,  the  Misses 
Ward,  Doctor  Battershall,  Miss  Battershall,  Miss 
Anna  Battershall,  Miss  Marvin,  Miss  Margaret  Pruyn, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Francis  Pruyn,  Miss  Pauline  Townsend, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Terry  Gardiner,  Bishop  and 
Mrs.  William  Croswell  Doane,  Miss  Gardiner,  Miss 
Kirckpatrick,  Mr.  Percy  Turnure  of  New  York,  a 


HON.  ROSWELL  P.   FLOWER. 


Some  Prominent  Events.  205 


guest  of  Mrs.  Evans  ;  Mr.  George  Smith,  of  New 
York  ;  Comte  de  Kermel,  of  Schenectady,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  E.  C.  Gale,  of  Troy,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William 
Thompson,  of  Troy,  Mr.  Hobart  Thompson,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Dean  Sage,  Miss  Sage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles 
L.  A.  Whitney,  Mr.  Henry  Martin,  Mr.  William 
Martin,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jonas  Brooks,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Fred.  Hubbard,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ferdinand  Dunkley, 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Bendell,  Mrs.  James  Greig,  Mr.  James 
Bulkley,  Gen.  and  Mrs.  Palmer,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James 
Moir,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Roselle,  Gen.  and  Mrs.  Rosen- 
dale,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cuyler  Reynolds,  Mr.  Winne, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  McHarg,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hess- 
berg,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Holbrook,  Mrs.  Lintner  and 
Miss  Lintner,  Mr.  Harry  Pierce,  Mr.  Harry  Peck- 
ham,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clifford  D.  Gregory,  Miss  Farns- 
worth,  Judge  and  Miss  Maynard,  Mrs.  Maynard, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  B.  Colvin,  Dr.  Van  Rensselaer, 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Boyd,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  C.  Leonard, 
Mr.  Harry  Walsh,  Mr.  J.  H.  B.  Tipton,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  R.  B.  Leake,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hamilton  Harris, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  L.  Annesley,  Mr.  McN.  Miller, 
Colonel  Williams,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  T.  Jewett,  Mr. 
Charles  Sabin,  Prof,  and  Mrs.  Boss,  Comptroller  and 
Mrs.  Roberts,  Mrs.  Kidd,  Mr.  Pumpelly,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Charles  Byington,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  S.  Perry, 
Miss  Ten  Eyck. 

Col.  John  Jacob  Astor,  of  Governor  Morton's 
staff,  has  a  wife  who  is  probably  more  to  be  envied 
from  a  worldly  point  of  view  than  any  other  rich 
woman  in  society.  Young,  beautiful,  and  good,  she 
deserves  her  distinction  to  the  fullest  degree.  She 


206  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

was  Miss  Ava  Lowle  Willing,  of  Philadelphia,  until 
she  surrendered  her  name  and  gave  her  heart  to  one 
of  the  richest  young  men  in  the  universe.  She  is 
tall,  having  an  exquisite  figure,  heavy-lidded  dark 
eyes,  dark  hair,  and  fair  skin.  While  driving  almost 
as  well  as  John  Jacob  Astor  himself,  she  is  also  an 
adept  at  all  athletic  sports,  from  riding  to  skating. 

The  account  of  political  and  social  life  in  Albany 
for  the  winter  of  1895  would  be  incomplete  without 
some  reference  to  the  Speaker  of  the  Assembly. 

Hamilton  Fish  is  the  worthy  son  of  a  father  whose 
name  is  illustrious  in  the  public  service  of  the  State 
and  of  the  nation.  The  elder  Fish  was  Governor  in 
the  earlier  half  of  the  century,  and  as  the  premier 
of  General  Grant's  two  administrations  he  won  a 
place  side  by  side  with  Marcy  and  Seward.  These 
two  distinguished  citizens  of  New  York  form, 
with  Thomas  Jefferson,  John  Quincy  Adams,  Daniel 
Webster  and  James  G.  Elaine,  the  greatest  sextet  of 
American  Secretaries  of  State. 

The  honor  that  has  come  to  the  Hamilton  Fish  of 
to-day  is  a  deserved  one  from  every  point  of  view. 

In  the  early  days  of  1895  Society  lost  its  great 
champion,  Ward  McAllister,  the  famous  leader  of 
the  Four  Hundred.  A  man  of  tact,  discrimination, 
and  diplomacy,  he  left  a  place  rather  difficult  to  fill. 
And  it  seems  to  me  very  appropriate  to  this  narra- 
tive to  give  some  account  of  the  career  and  the  social 
qualifications  of  that  unique  character,  the  biographi- 
cal sketch  being  taken  from  the  New  York  Press,  and 
the  account  of  his  accidental  distinction  from  the 
Tribune  : 


Some  Prominent  Events.  207 

"  Samuel  Ward  McAllister,  New  York's  foremost  soci- 
ety director  and  organizer  of  the  Four  Hundred,  was 
born  sixty-four  years  ago  in  Savannah,  Ga.  He  prided 
himself  upon  his  Southern  birth,  the  length  of  his  ances- 
try, and  of  his  social  success.  His  blood,  French  on  his 
mother's  side,  Scotch  on  his  father's,  was  blue  in  the 
United  States  as  far  back  as  Revolutionary  days. 

"  Mrs.  Cutler,  his  maternal  grandmother,  was  a  daugh- 
ter of  Hester  Marion,  the  sister  of  General  Francis 
Marion.  Her  husband,  B.  C.  Cutler,  McAllister's  grand- 
father, was  High  Sheriff  of  the  County  of  Norfolk,  in 
Massachusetts.  The  Cutlers  were  of  Dutch  origin,  and 
their  family  tree  runs  back  for  over  two  hundred  years. 
McAllister  claimed  kinship  with  the  Princes  of  Boston, 
and  the  Appleton  family,  of  the  same  city.  He  was  also 
related  to  the  Paterson-Bonaparte  family,  the  Parkers, 
and  to  President  Timothy  Cutler,  of  Yale  University. 
One  of  his  aunts  married  Dr.  John  W.  Francis,  author 
of  Old  New  York.  Another  married  Samuel  Ward,  of 
the  banking-house  of  Prime,  Ward  &  King. 

"  Mr.  McAllister  was,  therefore,  cousin-german  to  the 
late  Sam  Ward,  and  to  Mrs.  Julia  Ward  Howe,  as  well 
as  to  Mrs.  Luther  Terry,  of  Rome,  the  mother  of  Marion 
Crawford,  the  novelist,  and  to  Lady  Frazier,  wife  of  the 
British  Minister  to  Japan.  He  was  also  connected  by 
marriage  with  the  Astor,  Chandler,  and  other  well- 
known  New  York  families. 

"  Hugh  McAllister,  his  paternal  grandfather,  was 
United  States  District  Attorney  for  Georgia  during 
Washington's  administration.  His  father,  Hugh  Ward 
McAllister,  was  United  States  Circuit  Judge  of  Califor- 
nia, the  predecessor  of  Justice  Field,  while  his  brother, 
the  late  Hall  McAllister,  stood  at  the  head  of  the  bar 
on  the  Pacific  coast,  the  McAllister  family  being  among 


208  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


the  first  rank  of  San  Francisco.  McAllister's  mother  is 
described  as  a  very  beautiful  woman,  of  energy,  vivac- 
ity, and  social  talent.  She  showed  the  trace  of  her  French 
descent — the  Marions  being  French  Huguenots.  There 
were  some  who  thought  she  bore  a  likeness  to  the  por-  ' 
traits  of  Charlotte  Corday,  to  whose  family  she  was  re- 
lated. Those  who  may  care  to  reason  it  out  will  proba- 
bly discover  that  the  social  talent  so  prominent  in  Ward 
McAllister  is  inherited  from  his  mother,  and  it  is  no 
doubt  attributable  to  his  French  descent." 

"  Ward  McAllister  was  born  and  lived  for  eighteen 
years  in  Savannah.  His  ancestors  were  great  leaders  in 
the  time  of  Washington.  With  his  seventeenth  century 
ideas  of  social  exclusiveness  he  acquired  the  knowledge 
and  belief  which  eventually  controlled  the  doors  of  met- 
ropolitan society. 

"  Money  did  n't  count  for  much  in  Savannah  in  those 
days,  and  it  does  n't  count  there  much  now.  When 
McAllister  was  in  Savannah  many  of  the  beaux  and 
belles  had  not  a  good  coat  to  their  backs,  but  they  had 
acres  of  pride,  and  would  think  a  week  before  they 
would  accept  an  invitation  to  the  Patriarchs'  ball. 

"  Upon  Ward  McAllister  fell  the  task  of  looking  out 
for  the  family.  He  attended  to  their  training,  social 
and  otherwise,  end  looked  after  the  petty  affairs  even  to 
the  marketing  of  the  family.  Followed  by  a  couple  of 
boys,  each  carrying  a  huge  basket,  he  went  to  the  pub- 
lic market  every  morning  and  selected  the  provisions 
for  the  house.  In  this  way  he  acquired  his  practical 
and  thorough  knowledge  of  all  game,  fish,  and  vegeta- 
bles, the  seasons  of  the  year  in  which  they  were  most 
palatable,  and  the  most  dainty  manner  of  cooking  them. 
In  fact,  he  wanted  to  see  everything  cooked  he  bought, 


Some  Prominent  Events.  209 


and  his  vigilance  did  not  end  when  it  was  ready  for  the 
table. 

"  Leaving  Savannah,  he  settled  in  Newport,  R.  I.,  and 
made  the  fashionable  popularity  of  that  place.  He  was 
a  leader  of  modish  folk  by  nature  and  training.  It  was 
at  Newport  that  he  originated  the  picnics  which  made 
him  famous.  Though  rarely  boastful,  he  used  to  say 
that  the  food  served  on  those  occasions  could  not  be 
matched  in  the  world.  A  single  pie  was  known  to  have 
cost  $100.  What  was  in  it  no  one  but  Mr.  McAllister 
and  his  sworn  ally,  the  cook,  who  prepared  it  under  his 
supervision,  knew.  To  him  wines  were  as  plain  as  the 
letters  in  a  book.  He  knew  their  history,  the  philosophy 
of  them,  and  their  worth,  to  the  fraction  of  a  dollar.  He 
knew  the  rare  vintages,  and  he  could  tell  on  the  ends  of 
his  fingers  the  few  private  houses  the  world  over  where 
they  could  be  found.  No  buyer  in  the  world  knew  more 
about  wines  than  Ward  McAllister. 

"  Professionally  Mr.  McAllister  was  a  lawyer.  He  was 
graduated  from  Yale,  and  went  to  San  Francisco  in  the 
fall  of  1852.  Western  life,  which  was  then  crude,  did 
not  satisfy  him  and,  after  practicing  law  awhile  with 
Hall  McAllister,  his  brother,  he  came  east  and  married 
Miss  Sarah  Gibbons,  a  lady  of  wealth  and  good  position. 
Then  it  was  that  he  settled  in  Newport.  His  habits 
were  very  regular.  He  rose  at  9  o'clock,  breakfasted  at 
9.45,  went  riding  or  walking  at  n,  looked  after  business 
affairs  from  11.30  to  i,  took  lunch  at  1.30  sharp,  and 
dined  at  7. 

"  His  favorite  amusements  were  whist,  billiards,  and 
small  talk  with  friends.  He  cared  little  or  nothing  for 
the  theatre  or  opera  or  public  amusements  of  any  de- 
scription, although  he  sometimes  attended  the  opera. 
He  was  5  feet  9^  inches  in  height,  and  weighed  about 


2io  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

190  pounds.  His  brown  hair  was  mixed  with  gray,  and 
his  head  was  bald,  except  at  the  sides  and  back.  His 
mustache  and  imperial  were  gray.  His  eyes  were  blue, 
soft,  and  kindly.  The  forehead  high,  nose  aquiline,  chin 
firm  and  the  mouth  determined.  His  fine  head  was  set 
on  square  shoulders  and  his  carriage  was  very  erect. 
He  dressed  quietly,  always  in  dark  clothes,  invariably 
wearing  a  high  hat  and  cutaway  coat  in  the  street,  and 
overgaiters.  As  a  young  man  he  was  remarkably  hand- 
some. 

"  Ward  McAllister  will  be  widely  missed  in  the  clubs, 
and  generally  among  the  '  Four  Hundred  '  with  whom 
his  name  was  linked.  The  fidelity  and  pride  with  which 
he  accepted  and  filled  the  functions  of  '  Lord  High 
Chamberlain  '  in  New  York  society  made  him  a  unique 
figure.  His  fame,  however,  came  to  him  as  accidentally 
as  it  came  to  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Burchard  in  the  Elaine- 
Cleveland  campaign. 

"  At  the  request  of  a  Tribune  reporter,  Mr.  McAllister 
was  giving  some  reminiscences  of  his  career  as  a  man- 
ager of  balls,  dinners,  picnics,  etc.  When  he  said, 
'  There  are  only  400  people  in  society,'  he  plainly  meant 
that  there  were  only  about  400  who  were  active  in  social 
life — that  is  to  say,  '  in  the  swim  ' — in  the  exclusive  set 
over  which  he  presided.  To  him  the  average  attend- 
ance at  the  Patriarchs'  balls,  his  pet  organization,  repre- 
sented society,  and  400  was  the  usual  attendance.  He 
did  not  mean  to  relegate  beyond  the  pale  of  good  society 
all  the  rest  of  the  people  in  New  York  ;  at  the  same  time 
he  prided  himself  on  the  exclusiveness  of  the  balls,  in- 
cluding the  Family  Circle  Dancing  Class,  which  he 
managed.  There  has  always  been  an  exaggerated  idea 
of  Mr.  McAllister's  powers  as  keeper  of  the  keys  of  the 
fashionable  set.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  subscribers  to 


Some  Prominent  Events.  211 


the  Patriarchs'  assembly  invited  whom  they  pleased,  each 
one  having  ten  cards  to  distribute,  and  Mr.  McAllister 
merely  kept  a  list  of  such  invitations  as  were  accepted, 
in  order  to  prevent  duplications,  and  to  give  the  names 
to  the  newspapers.  There  would  usually  be  some  few 
invitations  unused  by  subscribers,  who  would  give  them 
to  Mr.  McAllister  to  dispense,  and  these  he  distributed 
among  aspiring  young  men  and  others.  Thus  it  was 
that  Mr.  McAllister  was  supposed  to  hold  the  '  Open 
Sesame  '  to  New  York  society. 

"  A  short  time  after  the  famous  interview  was  printed, 
Mr.  McAllister  met  in  Fifth  Avenue  the  Tribune  re- 
porter who  wrote  it,  and  greeted  him  with  beaming 
smiles.  He  said  that  he  had  heard  echoes  of  his  saying 
from  as  far  as  the  Sandwich  Islands  already,  so  quickly 
did  the  '  Four  Hundred  '  circulate  through  the  press. 
Evidently  he  was  hugely  pleased  over  the  notoriety,  and 
he  said  he  meant  to  stick  to  his  dictum. 

"  Mr.  McAllister  was  faithful  in  observing  the  outward 
formalities  appropriate  to  a  leader  of  fashionable  life. 
He  cultivated  an  old-time  courtliness,  of  a  French, 
perhaps,  rather  than  English  school.  In  this  his  South- 
ern birth  and  French  blood  came  in  play.  He  entirely 
disassociated  his  business  from  his  social  life.  While  he 
was  interested  in  piers  in  the  lower  part  of  the  city,  and 
as  a  lawyer  managed  several  estates,  he  always  posed  as 
a  man  of  leisure.  He  walked  up  Fifth  Avenue  with  a 
fresh  flower  in  his  coat  at  the  same  hour  invariably  every 
afternoon.  His  mustache  and  imperial  always  had  the 
correct  courtly  point.  He  was  past  master  in  the  art  of 
cutting  people  dead.  An  ordinary  business  acquaint- 
ance, whom  he  would  greet  affably  in  his  downtown  of- 
fice, he  would  pass  with  a  cold  stare  on  his  walk  to  the 
Union  Club.  He  declared  that  he  would  not  recognize 


212  Re m  in  iscences  of  Sa  ra  toga . 


plebeian  people  in  Fifth  Avenue.  He  was  considered  a 
fine  story-teller,  at  dinner  parties  especially,  where  the 
fair  sex  was  present,  and  he  was  a  frequent  guest  among 
the  older  families  of  the  city.  He  loved  a  title.  It  gave 
him  great  pleasure  to  introduce  some  foreign  Count  or 
Marquis  in  Delmonico's  ballroom.  He  himself  person- 
ated the  Count  de  la  Mole,  the  lover  of  Margaret  du 
Valois,  at  the  famous  fancy-dress  ball  given  by  Mrs.  W. 
K.  Vanderbilt  on  March  26,  1883.  The  character  and 
the  splendid  suit  of  purple  and  scarlet  were  of  course 
his  own  choice.  Had  Mr.  McAllister  been  born  in  a 
lower  station,  he  would  have  shone  as  a  prince  of  chefs 
or  a  club  steward.  As  it  was  he  was  a  prince  of  epi- 
cures. 

"  He  may  have  been  more  popular  socially  in  his  young 
days,  when,  with  George  Bend,  Peter  Marie  and  De- 
lancey  Kane,  he  formed  one  of  the  group  of  famous 
leaders  of  the  german.  His  wife  being  so  many  years 
an  invalid,  he  shone  as  a  single  and  not  as  a  double  star 
in  the  social  firmament.  In  many  respects  he  filled  the 
ideal  of  '  The  Old  Beau  '— 

'  Till  Death  the  coachman  touched  his  sleeve, 
To  tell  him  that  the  carriage  waits.'  " 

Much  has  been  written  on  the  subject  of  ancestry. 
At  present  there  are  about  thirty-five  societies  in 
New  York,  each  of  which  claims  to  be  a  sort  of  aris- 
tocracy founded  on  ancestry,  and  while  I  am  on  this 
subject  I  will  insert  an  article  obtained  in  January, 
1893,  on  "Crests,"  as  it  may  prove  interesting  to 
some  of  my  readers  who  are  members  of  the  societies 
that  base  their  claim  for  recognition  on  the  matter 
of  ancestry. 


IRA  P.  WARREN. 


Some  Prominent  Events.  2 1 3 

"  A  new  and  revised  edition  has  just  been  published 
of  '  Fairbairn's  Book  of  Crests  of  the  Families  of 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland.'  This  is  a  complete  and 
authoritative  collection  of  crests  and  mottoes  of 
families  not  included  in  '  Burke's  Peerage '  and 
'  Burke's  Landed  Gentry.'  It  will  be  found  to  pos- 
sess a  peculiar  interest  for  Americans  because  it  con- 
tains the  names  of  a  number  of  American  families. 
The  number  is  very  small,  however,  but  that  fact 
does  not  take  from  the  interest. 

"The  following  is  the  list  of  American  names 
printed  in  the  book.  It  should  be  an  object  of  gen- 
uine curiosity,  and  speaks  for  itself  to  those  persons 
who  are  instructed  in  American  genealogy  : 

"  William  Harman  van  Allen,  Ph.D.,  No.  435  Fifth 
Avenue,  New  York  City  ;  J.  G.  Bailey,  M.S.,  M.D., 
Santa  Ana,  Orange  County,  Cal.  ;  Melville  Madison 
Bigelow,  Ph.D.,  Cambridge,  Mass.;  Jeremiah  Dev- 
lin, New  York  City;  Alexander  John  Forbes-Leith, 
New  York  City  and  Scotland  ;  A.  D.  Weld  French, 
No.  160  State  Street,  Boston,  Mass. ;  Devons  Gilbert, 
Dr.  Walter  B.  Gilbert,  No.  15  West  Twenty-fifth 
Street,  New  York  City;  Rowland  Hazard,  Rowland 
Gibson  Hazard,  of  Oakwoods,  in  Peace  Dale,  R.  I.  ; 
Hopkins,  family  of,  Maryland ;  George  Augustus 
Hopley,  Charleston,  S.  C.  ;  Huger,  family  of,  South 
Carolina;  Lindsa}^,  family  of,  Virginia;  McAllister, 
family  of,  Scotland  ;  Col.  Henry  Richard  McElligott, 
Union  League  Club,  New  York  City;  Norman  L. 
McElligott,  Calumet  Club,  New  York  City  ;  Nichol- 
son, family  of,  South  Carolina;  Philipse,  family  of, 
Philipsburg,  America.  John  Symonds  Radway,  151 


2 1 4  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


West  Seventy-second  Street,  New  York  City ;  Gen. 
John  Meredith  Read,  of  New  York  and  Paris; 
Roome,  family  of,  Newport,  America  ;  Washington, 
family  of,  America ;  Williams,  family  of,  Boston, 
Mass. 

"  These  families,  with  one  conspicuous  exception, 
are  not  of  the  first  social  eminence.  Many  of  them 
are  recognized  here  as  old  families,  but  several,  on 
the  other  hand,  are  not.  Some  thousands  of  Ameri- 
cans are  using  crests,  and  in  this  book  only  twenty- 
four  are  mentioned.  It  would  be  interesting  to  know 
what  rule  was  followed  in  the  selection  of  them. 
Perhaps  only  those  Americans  who  have  paid  fees 
for  registering  their  crests  at  the  Herald's  College 
are  mentioned." 

Mr.  Ward  McAllister,  commenting  on  the  list, 
said  he  had  personally  nothing  to  do  with  the  inser- 
tion of  his  name  in  the  list.  The  McAllister  family 
mentioned  was  the  Scotch  one  with  which  he  was 
connected.  All  of  the  following  families,  and  pos- 
sibly many  more,  he  believed,  should  be  included  in 
a  list  of  Americans  entitled  to  use  crests  :  The  Jays, 
the  Winthrops,  the  Fishers,  the  Morrises,  the  Ogdens, 
the  Barclays,  the  Livingstons,  the  Delanceys,  the 
Crugers,  the  van  Rensselaers,  the  Duers,  the  Kings, 
the  Hamersleys,  the  Leroys,  the  Langdons,  the 
Stuyvesants,  the  Moores,  the  Pells,  the  Riveses,  the 
Robinsons,  the  Stevenses,  the  Floyd-Joneses,  the 
Lawrences,  the  Griswolds,  and  the  Wadsworths, 
of  New  York ;  the  Otises,  and  the  Sullivans,  of 
Boston  ;  the  Willings  and  the  Cadwaladers,  of  Phila- 
delphia ;  the  Rutledges,  the  Gibbses,  the  Gibbonses, 


Some  Prominent  Events.  2 1 5 


the  Heywards,  the  Allstons,  the  Pringles,  and  the 
Middletons,  of  South  Carolina.  He  thought  it 
would  not  be  very  difficult  to  prolong  the  list  of 
Americans  who  had  ancestors  at  least  as  aristocratic 
as  those  mentioned  in  this  egregious  British  book. 
But  the  hard  fact  remains  that  only  twenty-four 
American  families  are  recognized  in  England  as 
entitled  to  use  crests. 

It  is  pleasant  to  pass  from  graver  topics  to  wedding- 
bells  and  recount  the  marriage  of  Jay  Gould's  second 
daughter  to  the  Count  De  Castellane.  The  religious 
ceremony  was  performed  at  her  brother's  residence 
on  Fifth  Avenue  by  Archbishop  Corrigan,  and  was 
followed  later  by  a  civil  marriage  performed  by  Judge 
Andrews,  amid  a  paradise  of  flowers,  and  "  Fortunes 
in  gifts  worth  a  King's  ransom." 

During  the  first  hours,  the  wedding  had  more  the 
appearance  of  an  afternoon  reception  than  a  bridal ; 
and  the  buzz  of  conversation  and  laughter  could  be 
heard  throughout  the  rooms. 

But  hush  !  What  is  that  sweet  voice  which  bursts] 
forth  in  melody?  The  air  is  recognized  as  that  of 
"  Elsa's  Dream,"  from  "Lohengrin,"  and  the  voice 
as  that  of  Mme.  Rosa  Sucher  of  the  Berlin  Opera 
House,  Germany,  but  who  is  now  singing  at  the 
Metropolitan.  Immediately  all  conversation  ceased. 
A  hush,  deep  and  profound,  fell  upon  the  assembled 
guests.  Immediately  upon  the  conclusion  of  "  Elsa's 
Dream  "  the  organ  and  the  orchestra  burst  forth 
into  the  bridal  march  from  "  Lohengrin." 

Now  every  one  was  on  tiptoe,  excited  and  expec- 
tant. Presently,  amid  a  deep  hush,  the  head  of  the 


2 1 6  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


bridal  procession  appeared.  It  was  exactly  12:20 
P.M.  It  turned  into  the  music  room  from  the  hall, 
having  formed  in  the  library  above  stairs,  in  the  fol- 
lowing order  :  first  came  Prince  Giovanni  del  Drago, 
walking  with  Howard  Gould  and  followed  by  Charles 
Raoul  Duval  and  Brockholst  Cutting,  after  which 
came  the  bridesmaids,  Miss  Beatrice  Richardson  and 
Miss  Helen  Gould,  Miss  Adelaide  Montgomery  and 
Miss  Katherine  Cameron. 

The  civil  marriage  which  followed  the  ceremony 
of  the  church  was  surrounded  by  incidents  of  pecu- 
liar interest.  After  2  P.M.  George  Gould  telephoned 
to  his  attorney,  Mr.  Julien  T.  Davies,  saying  in 
effect,  "  We  have  decided  to  have  a  civil  marriage. 
Ask  a  Judge  to  come  up  prepared  to  perform  a  mar- 
riage ceremony.  Hurry,  as  it  is  necessary  a  Judge 
shall  get  here  before  four  o'clock,  as  my  sister  and 
her  husband  will  leave  at  that  time." 

Judge  Miles  Beach  was  first  asked  to  serve  but 
could  not  leave  court,  and  Attorney  Gardner  went 
on  the  bench  where  Justice  George  P.  Andrews  was 
presiding  and  asked  him  to  go  in  Judge  Beach's 
stead.  Justice  Andrews  at  first  declined,  saying  it 
was  impossible,  but  finally  consented  and  was  driven 
rapidly  to  the  Gould  home.  Before  he  left  he  told 
Gardner  to  look  after  the  matter  of  getting  a  blank 
marriage  certificate,  as  he  had  none  on  hand. 

When  Justice  Andrews  arrived  it  was  about  3:30 
P.M.  and  the  wedding  party  was  in  a  great  state  of 
excitement  for  fear  the  plan  to  have  a  civil  marriage 
might  fall  through.  The  Justice  assured  the  bride 
and  bridegroom  that  the  ceremony  would  consume 


Some  Prominent  Events.  217 


but  a  very  few  minutes,  and  at  his  suggestion  the 
parties  went  upstairs  to  the  sitting-room  on  the 
second  floor,  and  there  the  simple  ceremony  which 
declared  the  two  man  and  wife  a  second  time,  was 
performed. 

George  and  Helen  Gould,  Attorney  Gardner  and 
about  half  a  dozen  of  the  guests  were  all  who  wit- 
nessed it.  The  bride  and  bridegroom  signed  the 
certificate  hurriedly  and  departed  in  haste.  Justice 
Andrews  remained  to  fill  out  the  papers  and  gave 
them  to  Attorney  Gardner  to  file. 

This  was  Justice  Andrews'  third  experience  in  mar- 
rying members  of  the  French  nobility.  He  married 
Miss  Coudert,  daughter  of  Charles  R.  Coudert,  to 
the  Marquis  de  Shoiseul,  and  a  daughter  of  Chester 
W.  Chapin  to  the  Marquis  de  la  Tour  du  Villard. 

Taking  events  in  their  natural  course,  it  must  be 
recorded  that  on  April  3d,  Mrs.  Paran  Stevens  died  ; 
a  woman  who,  though  going  to  New  York  City  a 
total  stranger,  quickly  became  a  famous  social  leader, 
her  beauty,  wit,  and  tact  winning  her  almost  instant 
recognition. 

Mrs.  Stevens  was  born  in  Lowell,  Mass.,  about 
sixty-five  years  ago.  She  was  the  eldest  daughter 
of  Ransom  Reed,  a  country  merchant  who,  fifty 
years  ago,  was  considered  one  of  the  wealthiest  citi- 
zens of  Lowell,  as  well  as  one  of  its  representative 
men.  The  family,  consisting  of  five  girls  and  two 
boys,  was  a  refined  and  brilliant  one,  and  occupied 
one  of  the  handsomest  mansions  in  town.  One  of 
Mrs.  Stevens's  sisters,  Miss  Fannie  Reed,  has  lived 
for  the  greater  part  of  the  last  twenty  years  in  Paris, 


2 1 8  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


where  she  is  well  known  in  the  best  Parisian  society. 
Another  sister  is  the  wife  of  George  F.  Richardson, 
of  Lowell,  a  brother  of  the  late  Judge  Richardson 
of  Washington,  and  a  leading  member  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts bar.  Two  sisters  died  some  years  ago. 
The  two  brothers,  one  of  whom  was  educated  at  the 
Military  Academy  at  West  Point,  went  to  California 
at  the  time  of  the  gold  fever  in  1849,  and  are  to-day 
residents  of  that  state.  Mrs.  Stevens's  mother,  who 
lived  to  be  eighty-five  years  old,  died  at  her  home 
in  Lowell  nearly  three  years  ago.  She  was  a  re- 
markable old  lady,  and  her  daughter,  Marietta — 
Mrs.  Stevens — inherited  her  vigor  and  many  of  her 
sterling  qualities  of  mind. 

The  Reeds  in  Lowell  were  people  of  considerable 
influence,  and  the  sons  and  daughters  of  the  family 
were  educated  at  the  best  institutions  of  learning, 
and  the  girls  were  all  of  them  particularly  bright  and 
handsome.  Mrs.  Stevens  in  her  girlhood  days  was 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  belles  of  Lowell,  and  no 
entertainment  of  any  social  significance  given  by 
any  member  of  the  best  society  for  miles  around  was 
considered  complete  and  thoroughly  fashionable  un- 
less Marietta  Reed  was  included  among  the  guests, 
which  usually  was  the  case. 

Mrs.  Stevens  met  Paran  Stevens  some  time  in  the 
year  1850,  while  visiting  a  school  friend  in  Boston. 
Mr.  Stevens  was  then  a  widower.  His  daughter  was 
also  a  friend  of  the  girl  to  whom  Mrs.  Stevens  was 
paying  a  visit.  Mr.  Stevens,  who  was  some  years 
older  than  Miss  Reed,  pressed  his  suit  with  much 
,  j-dor,  and  after  a  short  courtship  the  marriage  was 


Some  Prominent  Events.  219 

celebrated  at  the  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ransom 
Reed  in  Lowell,  now  nearly  forty-five  years  ago. 
Mr.  Stevens  died  twenty-three  years  ago  this  April 
at  his  home,  No.  244  Fifth  Avenue,  from  an  attack 
of  peritonitis,  after  a  brief  illness.  He  was  known 
widely  and  favorably  for  his  business  activity  and 
enterprise.  He  was  the  first  proprietor  of  the 
Revere  House,  Boston,  and  at  intervals  subsequently 
principal  proprietor  of  the  Revere  and  Tremont 
Hotels,  Boston  ;  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  New  York 
City,  and  the  Continental  Hotel,  Philadelphia.  Be- 
fore the  rebellion  Mr.  Stevens  was  the  head  of  the 
Battle  House,  Mobile,  Ala.  He  was  a  man  of 
energy  and  ability,  and  though  self-made  was  a  man 
of  refined  taste,  and  delicate  and  equitable  both  in 
his  sentiment  and  every-day  dealings.  He  was  an 
enthusiastic  patron  of  art  and  liberal  and  just  to  his 
fellow-men.  Just  before  his  death  he  had  completed 
the  finest  apartment-house  in  the  world,  called  at 
the  time  Neo  Grec.  This  building,  at  Fifth  Avenue 
and  Twenty-seventh  Street,  New  York  City,  was 
afterward  made  into  a  hotel  and  named  the  Victoria. 
Its  doors  were  only  a  short  time  ago  closed  to  the 
public  through  the  failure  of  the  management. 

It  was  not  long  before  Mrs.  Stevens's  salon  was 
the  most  brilliant  in  New  York.  Desirable  strangers 
from  abroad  all  found  their  \vay  to  Mrs.  Stevens's 
house,  where  the  entertainments  were  always  of  the 
most  gorgeous  description,  and  in  nearly  every  case 
Mrs.  Stevens  was  the  first  woman  whom  foreigners 
desired  to  know.  Mrs.  Stevens,  with  her  husband, 
began  going  abroad  early  in  life,  and  in  1867  Mr. 


220  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


Stevens  was  appointed  one  of  the  Commissoners 
from  the  United  States  to  the  Paris  Exposition. 
During  the  exhibition  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stevens  took  a 
house  in  Paris  and  entertained  extensively.  Two 
children  were  born  to  Mrs.  Stevens;  Harry  Stevens, 
the  only  son,  died  nearly  ten  years  ago.  Miss  Mary 
Stevens,  the  only  daughter,  was  married  to  Arthur 
Henry  Fitzroy  Paget,  son  of  the  late  General  Lord 
Alfred  Paget,  and  grandson  of  the  first  Marquis  of 
Anglesey,  the  famous  Waterloo  general,  in  July, 
1878. 

The  month  of  May  was  notable  for  two  events, 
very  opposite  in  their  nature,  but  illustrating  the 
great  facts  of  life  and  death.  Lord  Rosebery  was 
made  glad  by  the  triumph  of  his  famous  horse,  Sir 
Visto,  and  was  congratulated  by  the  Prince  of  Wales. 
On  the  other  hand,  as  if  the  psalmist's  exhortation 
against  putting  our  trust  in  horses  needed  still  an- 
other verification,  death  came  into  the  intellectual 
realm  and  claimed  the  great  architect,  Richard  Mor- 
ris Hunt. 

One  of  the  most  brilliant  social  events  of  the  year, 
if  I  may  anticipate  the  Saratoga  season  once  more, 
was  the  great  wedding  of  James  Abercrombie  Bur- 
den, Jr.,  and  Florence  Adele  Sloane,  which  occurred 
in  Lenox,  Mass.,  June  6th. 

The  bridegroom  was  one  of  the  heirs  to  the  Bur- 
den millions,  made  in  the  Burden  Iron  Works,  of 
Troy,  and  immensely  increased  through  investments 
in  real  estate.  The  bride,  a  daughter  of  William 
Douglas  Sloane,  whom  the  carpet  trade  has  made 
a  many  times  millionaire.  Through  her  mother,  a 


LIEUT. -COM.  T.  BAILEY  MYERS  MASON,  U.  S.  N. 


Some  Prominent  Events.  221 


daughter  of  the  late  William  H.  Vanderbilt,  she 
will  inherit  a  part  of  the  property  of  America's  rich- 
est family.  Yet  the  wedding  that  united  two  such 
fortunes  was  carried  out  with  an  absence  of  show 
which  was  in  striking  contrast  to  marriages  of  many 
persons  of  much  less  social  importance. 

All  possible  devices  for  the  comfort  of  the  guests 
from  the  time  of  their  departure  to  their  return  had 
been  made  by  Mr.  Sloane.  Two  special  trains  of 
drawing-room  cars  carried  them  from  the  Grand 
Central  Station  to  Lenox,  where  carriages  especially 
brought  from  New  Haven  took  such  as  were  not  to 
be  guests  at  some  of  the  private  cottages  to  the  Cur- 
tis House,  which,  with  a  number  of  adjacent  cottages, 
had  been  specially  chartered  and  furnished  for  the 
occasion.  Once  there,  the  guests  found  that  means 
had  been  afforded  them  to  amuse  themselves  through 
the  day.  Walking  parties  were  organized,  drives 
were  arranged,  and  for  those  who  leaned  to  aquatic 
sports  the  Mahkcenac  Boat  Club  extended  its  privi- 
leges. Many  of  the  guests  drove  to  Elm  Court,  the 
Sloane's  place,  during  the  evening,  to  look  at  the 
presents. 

The  value  of  the  presents  received  by  the  bride 
has  been  placed  at  $500,000.  Jewels  were  in  the 
majority.  Mrs.  Sloane  gave  her  daughter  a  neck- 
lace of  sapphires  and  diamonds.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cor- 
nelius Vanderbilt  sent  a  diamond  tiara,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Frederick  Vanderbilt  gave  an  immense  dia- 
mond sun. 

Among  the  other  presents  are  an  empire  brooch 
valued  at  $3,000,  a  miniature  fleur-de-lys  of  gold 


222  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


studded  with  tiny  diamonds,  a  pair  of  opera  glasses 
with  barrels  of  blue  enamel  mounted  on  gold  and 
platinum  and  bordered  with  diamonds,  a  lyre  with 
a  wreath  of  forget-me-nots  and  leaves  of  delicate 
tracery  inlaid  in  diamonds,  and  another  lyre  bearing 
the  monogram  "  A.  S.  B."  in  gems  valued  at  $1,000. 
One  of  the  most  notable  and  costly  presents  is  a 
chatelaine  consisting  of  seven  pieces.  Each  piece 
was  made  by  hand. 

Following  is  a  complete  list  of  the  guests :  Miss 
Ashmore,  Charles  A.  Appleton,  J.  Harry  Alexander, 
James  W.  Appleton,  Miss  Baldwin,  General  and 
Mrs.  Burnett,  Miss  Barger,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frederic 
Bronson,  Miss  Bronson,  George  H.  Bend,  Miss  Bab- 
cock,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edmund  L.  Baylies,  Miss  Eve- 
lyn Burden,  C.  C.  Baldwin,  W.  B.  Blodgett,  Lewis 
Biddle,  Henry  W.  Bibby,  Count  Otto  Bismarck,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  William  C.  Casey,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  Cass 
Canfield,  Hamilton  W.  Cary,  Miss  Cameron,  Sir 
Roderick  Cameron,  Colonel  and  Mrs.  S.  V.  R.  Cru- 
ger,  Mrs.  Henry  Clews,  Miss  Clews,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Dwight  Collier,  the  Misses  Cross,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Carey,  W.  Astor  Chanler,  J.  V.  S.  Crosby,  Brock- 
hoist  Cutting,  William  Cutting,  the  Misses  Duer,  the 
Misses  Delafield,  Doctor  and  Mrs.  William  H. 
Draper,  Mrs.  W.  Earl  Dodge,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William 
B.  Dinsmore,  Richard  Harding  Davis,  A.  de  Na- 
varro,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clarence  Dinsmore,  J.  Coleman 
Drayton,  Miss  Dinsmore,  William  A.  Duer,  Chaun- 
cey  M.  Depew,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reginald  De  Koven, 
Miss  Kathleen  Emmet,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bernard  Eck- 
hout,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frederick  Edey,  Mrs.  W.  Cad- 


Some  Prominent  Events.  22$ 


wallader  Evans,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Emmet  J.  Langson 
Ewing,  William  Van  Rensselaer  Erving,  Robert 
Emmet,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Giraud  Foster,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
F.  P.  Freeman,  Theodore  Frelinghuysen,  John  Ford, 
George  R.  Fearing,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stuyvesant  Fish, 
Mrs.  Field,  Miss  Mamie  Field,  Gilbert  Francklyn, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Malcolm  Graham,  the  Misses  Graham, 
Mrs.  H.  W.  Gurnee,  Miss  Gray,  Miss  Gandy,  Elliott 
Gregory,  James  W.  Gerard,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Richard 
M.  Hunt,  Miss  Edith  Hall,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  R. 
Hone,  Miss  Henderson,  Mrs.  W.  E.  Hope,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  J.  Borden  Harriman,  G.  G.  Haven,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Oliver  Harriman,  Jr.,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  H. 
Howard,  Miss  Hoppin,  J.  Arden  Harriman,  G.  Beek- 
man  Hoppin,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bradish  Johnson,  Miss 
Josephine  Johnson,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  P.  Kerno- 
chan,  Miss  Kernochan,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kissel,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Samuel  H.  Kissam,  Miss  Ethol  Kissam,  Miss 
Louise  Kissam,  W.  A.  Kissam,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kort- 
wright,  John  I.  Kane,  A.  F.  Kountze,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Grenville  Kane,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joseph  Larocque,  Jr., 
the  Misses  Lawrence,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  S.  Leav- 
itt,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edward  Leavitt,  Miss  Lamontague, 
Mrs.  Adolf  Ladenburg,  Philip  Lydig,  Edward  Liv- 
ingston, Goodhue  Livingston,  Benoni  Lockwood, 
Jr.,  J.  Bowers  Lee,  Prince  Lubecki,  Raymond  Le 
Ghalt,  W.  F.  Morgan,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  M.  Martin, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fellowes  Morgan,  Peter  Marie,  Mav- 
royen  Bey,  the  Turkish  Minister,  Mrs.  Levi  P.  Mor- 
ton, the  Misses  Morton,  Miss  McNamee,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Miller,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Auguste  P.  Montant,  Mat- 
thew Morgan,  Jr.,  George  Munzig,  Stephen  H.  Olin, 


224  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.  C.  Porter,  Mrs.  Henry  C.  Potter, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  B.  Parsons,  the  Misses  Palmer, 
Robert  Perkins,  Alexander  L.  Proudfit,  Miss  Hattie 
Roberts,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edward  Ripley,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Sidney  Dillon  Ripley,  Mrs.  George  L.  Ronalds,  Her- 
bert Robbins,  J.  Wadsworth  Ritchie,  Chester  Robin- 
son, Mrs.  Burke  Roche,  R.  K.  Richards,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Frederick  Schenck,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coleman 
Smith,  Robert  Cornell  Sands,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Will- 
iam Rhinelander  Stewart,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Anson 
Phelps  Stokes,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Augustus  Shepard,  the 
Misses  Strong,  Baron  Santa  Anna,  Mrs.  George 
Turnure,  Percy  Turnure,  Miss  Trevor,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
J.  Kennedy  Tod,  J.  Frederick  Tarns,  Henry  B. 
Taylor,  Fitzhugh  Townsend,  Baron  Uechtritz,  R.  B. 
Van  Courtlandt,  the  Marquis  de  Villalobar,  Miss 
Van  Rensselaer,  F.  Delano  Weeks,  J.  Norman  de 
R.  Whitehouse,  Frank  Webb,  J.  Louis  Webb,  the 
Misses  Whitney,  Miss  Louise  Webb,  Miss  Bessie 
Ward,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frank  S.  Witherbee,  Mrs.  John 
Wilmerding,  Miss  Wilmerding,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gren- 
ville  Winthrop,  Miss  Winthrop,  Doctor  and  Mrs. 
J.  S.  Woodbury,  Miss  Wickes,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lucius 
K.  Wilmerding,  and  Fernando  Yznaga. 

The  following  was  written  on  the  occasion  by  the 
correspondent  of  the  Morning  Advertiser  : 

"  When  the  Queen  of  Sheba,  in  Oriental  magnificence, 
paid  her  visit  to  King  Solomon,  decked  in  all  the  splen- 
dor of  her  kingdom  ;  when  Cleopatra  sailed  in  her  lux- 
urious barge,  jewels  flashing  everywhere,  to  meet  Marc 
Antony  ;  when  the  famous  historic  display  on  the  Field  of 


Some  Prominent  Events.  225 


the  Cloth  of  Gold  took  place  ;  when  the  then  handsome 
Victoria  was  wedded  to  Albert  the  Good  ;  when  Napo- 
leon espoused  Josephine  in  a  splendor  that  was  almost 
barbaric,  all  pens  were  drafted  into  service  to  adequately 
describe  them.  And  yet  all  these  people  had  upon  and 
about  them  everything  their  wealth  could  furnish.  It 
was  all  they  had.  Here  is  an  entertainment  equally 
regal,  jewels  that  are  priceless,  dresses  and  decorations 
that  engaged  the  best  services  of  the  best  artists  ;  and 
yet  notwithstanding  the  million  spent,  there  is  the  con- 
sciousness that  such  a  fete  might  go  on  continuously  for 
years  and  the  participants  be  never  embarrassed. 

"  And  yet  it  is  all  for  an  American  girl  and  an  Ameri- 
can young  man — for  Miss  Adele  Vanderbilt  Sloane,  the 
daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  D.  Sloane,  and  James 
Abercrombie  Burden,  Jr., — both  the  grandchildren  of 
parents  who,  in  their  early  lives,  were  as  humble  and  of 
necessity  as  frugal  as  are  any  that  now  live  on  the  East 
side  in  New  York  City. 

"  The  wedding  and  its  incidents  will  be  an  episode 
truly  wonderful  in  evidencing,  in  a  practical  way,  the 
magical  increase  of  wealth  in  the  hands  of  so  many  in 
number,  and  yet  so  few  in  proportion  to  the  masses  of 
the  people.  The  whole  atmosphere  here  seems  impreg- 
nated with  millionaires.  There  are  dozens  here  who  are 
multi-millionaires,  and  there  is  not  one  of  the  guests  who 
is  less  than  a  millionaire,  and  there  is  not  one  who  is  not 
competing  with  his  friends  in  making  the  event  the  most 
unique  of  its  kind  in  the  whole  records  of  history." 

I  have  already  written  concerning  the  social  func- 
tions of  the  Governor  and  Mrs.  Morton  at  the  capi- 
tal, and  of  Mrs.  Morton  in  particular,  as  she  is  so 
well  equipped  by  temperament  to  dispense  ele- 


226  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


gantly  and  graciously  the  hospitality  of  the  execu- 
tive mansion.  Beside  this  she  brought  to  Albany 
a  wide  acquaintance  with  the  members  of  its  best 
society  who  mingle  freely  in  the  fashionable  circles 
of  New  York. 

In  short,  the  Governor's  charming  wife  is  really 
an  accomplished  diplomat  and  a  lady  of  much  tact 
and  brilliancy.  Politically,  Governor  Morton's  ad- 
ministration has  been  equalled  by  others,  but  from 
a  socio-political  standpoint,  the  present  administra- 
tion has  touched  the  high-water  mark. 

But  while  I  am  on  this  subject  let  me  draw  an- 
other picture  and  quote  from  the  Boston  Press  : 

"  One  of  the  features  of  the  opening  session  of  the 
Eighth  Annual  Conference  of  the  New  England  Evan- 
gelistic Association,  held  at  the  Park  Church,  was  the 
peculiar  statement  made  by  Mrs.  Agnes  P.  Strain  of 
Albany,  in  regard  to  a  novel  and  somewhat  startling 
plan  of  '  drawing-room  evangelism  '  which  has  been  in- 
augurated during  the  past  season  at  Albany  by  the  wife 
of  Adjutant-General  McAlpin,  one  of  the  leading  soci- 
ety women  of  the  capital. 

"  Mrs.  McAlpin,  it  is  said,  was  once  one  of  the  gayest 
society  women  in  New  York  City.  A  number  of  years 
ago  she  was  converted  and  devoted  her  life  to  practical 
Christian  work.  She  deserted  the  worldly  life  for  the 
life  of  Christian  work.  Then  came  another  change. 
Her  husband  was  appointed  on  Governor  Morton's  staff. 
She  went  to  Albany  with  her  husband  prepared  to  up- 
hold the  social  dignity  of  his  position.  The  society  of 
Albany  was  astonished  at  the  stand  she  took.  It  was 
unprecedented.  Society  women  were  surprised  to  re- 


Some  Prominent  Events.  227 

ceive  invitations  to  attend  '  religious  services '  in  the 
morning  at  Mrs.  McAlpin's  residence.  They  wondered, 
then  they  went,  and  they  kept  on  going.  Everybody 
held  their  breath  when  the  name  of  one  of  these  brill- 
iant but  worldly  women  was  named  as  a  convert.  '  I 
want  to  put  in  an  appeal  for  drawing-room  work,'  con- 
tinued Mrs.  Strain.  '  Slumming  is  all  right,  but  there  is 
just  as  much  work  to  do  at  the  other  extreme  of  social 
life.'  " 

Mrs.  McAlpin  can  truly  exclaim  with  the  poet: 

"  Asleep,  awake,  by  night  or  day, 

The  friends  I  seek  are  seeking  me  ; 
No  wind  can  drive  my  bark  astray, 
Nor  change  the  tide  of  destiny. 

"  What  matter  if  I  stand  alone  ? 

I  wait  with  joy  the  coming  years  ; 

My  heart  shall  reap  where  it  has  sown, 

And  garner  up  its  fruit  of  tears." 

Mrs.  McAlpin,  who  was  Miss  Brandeth  of  Sing- 
Sing,  when  at  her  beautiful  home,  visits  the  prison 
and  reads  and  prays  with  the  convicts,  personally 
conducting  the  services. 

In  Albany  this  good  lady  added  many  new  ad- 
mirers to  her  circle  by  conducting  the  afternoon 
service  at  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association. 
The  hall  was  filled,  and  the  young  men  present 
were  charmed  with  her  graceful  presence  and  brill- 
iant, fervid  remarks.  She  was  accompanied  by  her 
son,  who  assisted  his  mother  by  making  a  short 
address. 


228 


Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


George  Bliss  was  a  partner  in  Governor  Morton's 
banking-house.  As  a  type  of  the  old-fashioned  mer- 
chant, born  and  bred  in  New  England,  Mr.  Bliss  was 
perfect.  His  shrewdness  was  tempered  by  kindness, 
his  acquisitiveness  by  liberality,  his  cast-iron  methods 
by  devotion  to  the  interests  of  those  with  whom  he 
worked  as  well  as  those  who  affected  him  person- 
ally. He  was  identified  in  early  years  with  large 
houses  in  the  dry-goods  trade,  but  for  many  years 
past  has  stood  in  the  front  rank  of  American  bank- 
ers. He  has  been  connected  with  many  enterprises 
in  different  lines  of  industry,  chiefly  financial,  where 
his  assiduity  in  furtherance  of  commercial  pro- 
grammes was  equalled  by  the  alertness  of  his  mind 
and  the  sturdiness  of  his  self-reliance. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

IMPORTANT    INCIDENTS    RECALLED   DURING    THE 
SEASON  OF  'NINETY-FIVE. 

JUNE  20th,  1895,  the  United  States  Hotel 
opened  for  business.  The  Bennetts  and  Mrs. 
Augustus  Schell  of  New  York  were  already 
here,  and  had  taken  possession  of  their  apartments 
several  days  before  the  formal  opening. 

I  met  the  Misses  Sarah  and  Ida  Bennett  crossing 
the  lawn  from  the  dining-hall  the  first  day,  and  we 
were  all  glad  to  see  one  another.  After  a  friendly 
talk,  they  were  gracious  enough  to  tender  me  a  kind 
invitation  to  call  and  see  their  mother,  Mrs.  Bennett. 

We  soon  had  among  our  earliest  guests,  John 
Gurley  Grafton  of  New  York,  ex-Minister  to  Eng- 
land E.  J.  Phelps,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  R.  McKee, 
with  their  two  children,  Benjamin  Harrison  and 
Mary  McKee.  I  am  glad  to  add  a  pleasant  incident 
here  in  connection  with  Mrs.  McKee.  She  gave  me 
with  her  own  hand  a  picture  of  the  White  House, 
bearing  the  autograph  of  her  father,  Benjamin  Har- 
rison. And  then,  continuing  the  conversation,  she 

229 


230  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


said  that  she  had  tried  to  persuade  the  ex-President 
to  go  to  Europe  this  year,  but  had  failed,  because  he 
declared  that  America  was  good  enough  for  him. 
I  had  been  speaking  to  her  of  the  great  exodus  to 
Europe  of  the  present  year. 

Mrs.  S.  U.  Cadvvell  and  Miss  Lee,  Mr.  J.  Warren 
Nash,  the  Misses  Nash,  Mrs.  E.  J.  King  and  family, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Rice  of  St.  Louis,  of  the  firm  of 
Rice,  Stix  &  Co.,  wholesale  dry-goods,  with  their  son 
and  daughter,  Charlie  and  Erna,  were  early  summer 
guests  at  the  States.  Miss  Erna  Rice  added  very 
much  to  the  pleasure  of  the  hotel  people  by  playing 
very  sweetly  on  the  mandolin,  on  the  piazza  facing 
the  lawn. 

The  Druggists'  Convention  met  in  Saratoga,  June 
25th  ;  the  evening  being  devoted  to  a  fine  literary 
entertainment  in  the  Blue  Parlor.  On  the  26th  a 
dance  was  held  in  the  same  splendid  room,  the  waltz- 
ers  extending  their  graceful  procession  from  the  large 
mirror  in  the  drawing-room  to  Division  Street. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frank  N.  Ballard  and  child  are  cot- 
tagers for  a  few  days. 

When  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edson  Keith  of  Chicago  ar- 
rived at  the  hotel,  Mrs.  Keith  talked  to  me  in  a  very 
interesting  way  about  her  visit  to  Carlsbad.  The 
Empress  Eugenie  was  there  at  the  same  time,  and 
the  Germans  took  every  occasion  to  manifest  their 
deep  respect.  Even  when  the  Empress  came  down 
to  drink  the  Sprudel  water,  the  people  would  place 
themselves  in  a  long  row  and  raise  their  hats,  with 
every  mark  of  admiration  as  she  passed  by.  It  was 
Thomas  Carlyle  who  said  that  "  the  evolution  of 


EDWARD   M.   KLEMM. 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  231 

Eugenie's  character  is  the  most  marked  and  sym- 
metrical of  any  known  to  history."  Eugdnie  was  a 
vain  girl.  Her  youth  has  faded  ;  but  physically  and 
spiritually  she  is  to-day  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
women  in  the  world. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edwin  Cottrell  and  their  two  little 
daughters,  Miss  Madaline  and  Miss  Louise,  were 
prominent  guests  this  season.  Mr.  Cottrell  is  one  of 
the  most  conspicuous  figures  in  Wall  Street.  Mrs. 
T.  Bailey  Meyers  and  Mrs.  Julian  James,  Mr.  Oliver 
S.  Carter,  of  Orange,  N.  J.,  president  of  the  Bank  of 
the  Republic,  with  Mrs.  Carter,  were  also  here.  Mrs. 
Carter,  by  the  way,  is  a  most  charming  lady  ;  and, 
having  recently  returned  from  Carlsbad,  was  kind 
enough  to  say  that  she  had  thought  of  me  while  in 
Bohemia.  I  had  related  to  her  my  experiences  and 
impressions  of  Carlsbad  last  year,  concerning  my 
visit  in  1893. 

Among  those  who  spent  a  part  of  the  season  with 
us  were  Mr.  Henry  W.  Sage,  of  Ithaca,  Miss  C.  A. 
Linn,  Miss  Sarah  Pollock  Linn  and  Miss  Bessie  Wil- 
mot  Linn,  who  formed  a  very  pretty  party. 

Dr.  Isaac  L.  Kip,  Mrs.  Kip,  and  William  V.  B. 
Kip,  all  of  New  York,  arrived  June  2/th.  I  am  re- 
minded, in  this  connection,  that  the  Kips  gave  one 
of  the  most  elaborate  dinners  ever  served  in  New 
York  City,  last  year,  in  honor  of  Mr.  T.  J.  Oakley 
Rhinelander  and  his  fiancee,  Miss  Edith  Cruger 
Sands.  The  gold  service  of  the  family  is,  without 
question,  one  of  the  handsomest  in  the  city  of  New 
York,  and  the  effect  produced  by  the  furnished  ta- 
ble was  simply  gorgeous.  In  the  large  gold  centre- 


232  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


piece  were  beautiful  masses  of  pink  roses  and  white 
lilacs.  An  informal  dance  came  after  the  dinner  ; 
and  among  the  guests  were  the  following  :  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Rowland  Pell,  Mr.  Philip  Rhinelander,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Maturin  L.  Delafield,  Jr.,  Miss  Helen  De  Peys- 
ter,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Herman  Oelrichs,  Miss  Julia  Dent 
Grant,  Mr.  John  T.  Wainwright,  Mr.  Norman  De  R. 
Whitehouse,  Miss  Norrie,  and  Mr.  William  Van  Buren 
Kip.  Miss  Sands  subsequently  became  Mrs.  Rhine- 
lander,  and  at  the  wedding  ceremony  Mr.  Philip 
Rhinelander,  a  married  brother  of  the  bridegroom, 
acted  as  best  man.  There  has  been,  for  many  years 
past,  an  unwritten  law  excluding  benedicts  from 
officiating  in  any  capacity  at  weddings,  except  as 
spectators.  But  Mr.  Rhinelander,  by  his  conspicu- 
ous example,  has  changed  all  that,  and  the  married 
men  of  the  community  should  rise  up  and  call  him 
blessed. 

How  the  good  old  times  come  back  again  as  the 
name  of  this  Queen  of  Spas  is  uttered  !  Here  the 
beaux  and  belles  of  years  ago  love  to  come  again, 
with  their  children,  to  recount  the  festivities  of  the 
hallowed  past,  which  somehow  shed  a  fairer  and 
brighter  lustre  over  the  merriment  of  the  present. 
From  North,  South,  East,  and  West  new  guests  are 
constantly  arriving  at  this  popular  resort,  and  they 
are  people  of  distinction  in  the  various  walks  of  life. 
Call  the  roll  of  America's  great  men,  and  there  will 
be  few  indeed  who  will  fail  to  respond  that  they  have 
been  Saratoga's  guests.  The  poets  and  philosophers 
of  this  country,  the  theologians  and  scientists,  its 
statesmen,  artists,  and  inventors,  all  these  have  tasted 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  233 

the  famous  waters  and  lodged  in  one  of  these  famous 
hotels.  Every  summer  brought  Millard  Fillmore 
here  before  his  advent  into  national  politics.  Presi- 
dents Pierce,  Buchanan,  Johnson,  Grant,  Hayes,  Gar- 
field,  Arthur,  Cleveland,  and  Harrison  have  added 
their  illustrious  names  to  the  registers  of  this  great 
resort. 

It  was  here  in  Saratoga  that  Mr.  Chester  A.  Arthur 
met  his  wife  ;  and  after  her  death,  so  many  were 
the  associations  of  the  past,  he  could  never  bear  to 
return.  The  most  charming  trait  in  the  character  of 
Mr.  Arthur,  was  the  tender  love  he  bore  the  memory 
of  the  wife  who  preceded  him  to  the  land  beyond.  It 
was  a  pathetic,  beautiful  phase  of  his  kindly,  loving 
nature,  and  one  toward  which  the  mind  will  more 
gladly  turn  than  to  those  which  were  allied  to 
politics. 

General  Arthur  \vas  married  in  early  manhood  to 
Ellen  Herndon,  daughter  of  the  heroic  lieutenant 
who,  in  one  of  the  most  noted  shipwrecks  of  modern, 
times,  after  doing  all  that  lay  in  human  power  to 
save  the  passengers  committed  to  his  care,  went 
down  on  the  quarter  deck  of  his  vessel,  calmly  smok- 
ing a  cigar. 

Mrs.  Arthur,  a  lovely  and  amiable  lady,  died  in 
1880,  leaving  two  children,  a  son,  young  Chester  Ar- 
thur, and  a  daughter  Nellie,  her  father's  idol. 

Mrs.  Arthur's  miniature  used  to  stand  upon  his 
table  at  the  White  House,  set  in  a  finely  wrought 
bronze  frame,  before  which,  at  night,  burned  softly 
an  antique  shaded  lamp  ;  an  eloquent  and  affecting 
memorial  of  her  husband's  grief. 


234  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

Tennyson's  bereavement,  his  heartfelt  grief  for  his 
beloved  friend  Arthur  Hallam,  drew  from  him  the 
finest  verse.  He  penned  hundreds  of  lines,  of  which 
all  are  summed  up  in  the  couplet  so  often  quoted 
and  not  unfrequently  applied  : 

'  *T  is  better  to  have  loved  and  lost 
Than  never  to  have  loved  at  all." 

General  Winfield  Scott  and  General  Winfield 
Scott  Hancock,  unbuckled  the  sword  and  cultivated 
here  the  graces  of  peace.  Sherman  and  Sheridan 
were  not  strangers  to  this  summer  capital.  Webster, 
Clay,  Sumner,  and  Seward  were  expert  samplers  of 
its  waters.  Every  Governor  that  New  York  has  had 
since  1800  has  made  the  acquaintance  of  the  Spa. 
In  fact,  the  tendency  of  notables  to  come  here  in- 
creases each  season  ;  and  during  my  twelve  years' 
service  here  some  of  the  very  oldest  and  best  families 
of  the  country  have  been,  at  various  times,  our 
honored  guests. 

Among  the  more  prominent  ones  I  would  name 
the  Hon.  Thomas  F.  Bayard,  ex-Secretary  of  State, 
and  now  Ambassador  to  England  ;  James  G.  Elaine, 
ex-Secretary  of  State,  Judge  Gresham,  Chauncey 
M.  Depew,  Henry  Bergh,  James  F.  D.  Lanier,  of  the 
banking  firm  of  Winslow,  Lanier  &  Co.,  Elliot  F. 
Shepard,  William  Walter  Phelps,  and  William  Wal- 
dorf Astor. 

Ex-Judge  MacArthur  was  also  a  frequenter  of  the 
Springs,  always  stopping  at  the  Grand  Union.  Mr. 
MacArthur's  eightieth  birthday  is  fast  approaching, 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  235 

but  he  is  one  of  the  old  men  who  is  always  young. 
He  is  handsome  after  the  Scotch  manner.  Tall  and 
proud,  with  a  head  of  classic  proportions,  eyes  that 
might  be  cynical  if  they  were  not  filled  with  kindly 
humor,  and  a  smile  of  winning  sweetness.  A  head 
of  curly  gray  hair  and  a  mustache  and  imperial,  with 
a  certain  dignity  and  grace  of  expression,  are  what 
make  him  resemble  those  cavaliers  that  Dutch  artists 
loved  to  paint.  Toward  women  he  is  most  courtly 
and  gallant.  There  is  no  woman  who  to-day  would 
not  be  flattered  by  his  attention.  He  remembers 
their  little  peculiarities,  and  is  an  absorbed  listener 
to  their  conversation.  This  gallantry,  however, 
never  interferes  with  his  sense  of  justice. 

Judge  MacArthur  has  known  intimately  most  of 
the  great  men  who  have  been  his  contemporaries, 
and  is  rich  in  reminiscences,  the  hearing  of  which  is 
an  agreeable  experience. 

At  a  dinner  given  in  honor  of  Cardinal  Gibbons, 
then  Archbishop,  at  which  a  number  of  the  Catholic 
clergy  were  present,  the  Archbishop  told  a  story  of 
Choate  and  Webster  which  he  had  happened  upon 
in  his  reading.  They  were  the  opposing  counsel  in  a 
celebrated  case  on  the  infringement  of  a  patent  of  a 
certain  wheel.  Mr.  Choate  made  a  long  and  elo- 
quent speech,  devoting  much  time  to  pointing  out 
the  difference  between  the  two  wheels  which  were  in 
evidence.  By  the  time  he  had  finished  there  seemed 
to  be  no  resemblance  between  his  client's  and  the 
plaintiff's  wheel.  Webster's  reply  was  very  terse 
and  characteristic.  "  Gentlemen  of  the  Jury,"  he 
said,  "there  are  the  wheels.  If  you  can  see  any 


236  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

difference  between  them,  it  is  more  than  I  can  do." 
The  verdict  was  for  the  plaintiff. 

"Yes,"  said  Judge  MacArthur,  who  was  seated 
opposite  Archbishop  Gibbons,  "  I  remember  the 
incident  very  well.  It  took  place  in  Springfield,  and 
you  will  perhaps  be  surprised  to  know  that  I  was 
associated  with  Mr.  Choate  in  the  case."  "  Really  ?  " 
asked  the  Archbishop.  "  It  is  indeed  interesting  and 
unusual  to  have  such  a  story  verified  by  an  eyewit- 
ness." 

Then,  much  to  the  edification  of  the  other  guests, 
Judge  MacArthur  gave  a  history  of  the  whole  case. 
He  had  himself  opened  it,  in  a  speech  "  which  had 
the  merit  of  length,  at  any  rate,"  he  said  laughingly. 
Mr.  Choate,  it  seems,  did  not  wish  to  speak  that 
afternoon  and  had  asked  Mr.  MacArthur  to  use  up 
all  the  time  until  adjournment.  Stimulated  by  Mr. 
Choate's  constant  expressions  of  approval,  Mr.  Mac- 
Arthur  continued  speaking  until  the  Judge  had  said  : 
"  Mr.  MacArthur,  if  you  are  nearly  at  the  end  of 
your  speech  we  will  take  an  adjournment."  "  Mr. 
Choate,"  said  Mr.  MacArthur,  "  was  the  most  elo- 
quent man  of  all  time.  Personally  he  was  very 
magnetic,  and  it  was  something  wonderful  to  see  his 
great,  tall,  handsome  figure,  his  eyes  flashing  fire,  and 
hear  the  volume  of  eloquence  that  poured  from  his 
lips.  Now  and  then  he  would  run  his  hand  through 
his  black  wavy  hair.  Yes,  he  was  more  magnetic 
than  Mr.  Webster;  at  least  magnetic  in  a  different 
way,"  he  continued  in  answer  to  a  question,  "  but 
not  as  deep,  perhaps,"  he  added,  reluctantly. 

Mr.  Charles  A.  Heaton,  of  New  Haven,  a  young 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  237 

gentleman  of  leisure,  is  stopping  with  us  this  season. 
His  cousin,  Guy  Heaton,  of  Washington,  D.  C,  told 
me  that  Charles's  brother,  Edward,  is  the  best  ama- 
teur boxer  in  the  country.  Mr.  James  C.  Cook  and 
his  daughter  Miss  M.  E.  Cook,  from  Columbus,  Ga., 
are  enjoying  the  waters  and  the  mountain  air  of  a 
typical  Saratoga  June.  Mr.  John  Brooks  and  Mrs. 
William  Baylis  have  returned  to  Saratoga ;  and  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Henry  Randall,  with  their  niece  Miss 
Skinner,  and  Mrs.  Hart,  are  prominent  guests  of  ours. 
Miss  Hannah  M.  Bennett,  of  Newburgh,  N.  Y.,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  John  H.  Nehr,  of  Troy,  were  here  during 
most  of  the  summer  ;  and  I  found  them  to  be  a 
most  charming  couple,  although  plain  people  with 
all  their  refinement.  With  Mrs.  Nehr  I  have  enjoyed 
many  agreeable  conversations.  Her  husband  went 
down  to  Troy  every  morning,  returning  in  the  af- 
ternoon, his  business  being  that  of  cashier  of  the 
United  National  Bank  of  that  city.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
H.  W.  Slocum,  with  their  two  sweet  and  beautiful 
children,  Gertrude  and  Nathalie,  registered  here  for 
a  month,  and  present  an  interesting  family  picture. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Slocum  are  inseparable. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Michael  Burke,  accompanied  by 
Master  Robert  Law  Burke,  their  residence  being 
2815  Michigan  Avenue,  Chicago,  are  very  pleas- 
antly located  here.  Their  manly  little  son  called 
upon  me,  with  his  nurse  ;  and  I  had  not  seen  him 
since  he  was  a  "baby  new  to  earth  and  sky."  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Burke  are  people  whom  it  is  a  pleasure  to 
meet;  quiet,  unassuming,  considerate,  genial,  and 
kind.  Since  becoming  a  benedict,  Mr.  Burke  has 


238  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

spent  much  time  abroad,  always  accompanied  by 
his  congenial  wife. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  Scheftel  and  family,  Mrs.  John 
Thompson,  all  of  New  York  ;  Doctor  and  Mrs.  Calvin 
Edward  Hull,  of  531  Washington  Avenue,  Brooklyn, 
their  summer  address  being  Black  Rock,  Conn.,  are 
here.  Mrs.  Hull  is  a  splendid  dresser,  her  gowns 
being  marvels  of  elegance,  while  the  prettier  she 
looks  the  more  happy  seems  the  good  Doctor.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Edward  M.  Klemm,  of  1827  Arch  Street, 
Philadelphia,  with  their  pretty  and  accomplished 
daughter,  Miss  Emma,  are  regular  summer  guests.  In 
affability  and  courteousness,  and  in  all  the  manifold 
qualities  that  go  to  make  the  gentleman,  my  friend  Mr. 
Klemm  has  no  superior.  In  his  attractive  and  ac- 
complished wife  he  has  a  loving  companion,  and  I 
venture  to  say  that  in  their  delightful  home  in  the 
fair  city  on  the  Delaware  happiness  reigns  supreme. 

Rev.  and  Mrs.  Oliver  Crane,  of  12  Concord  Square, 
Boston,  arrived  early  and  remained  late ;  and  I  hope 
they  will  return  another  season.  Last  year  they 
were  with  us  for  a  short  time  only,  but  long  enough 
for  Mrs.  Crane  to  show  me  the  pretty  picture  of  her 
dear  mother.  The  Doctor  and  his  wife  are  never 
apart.  Sometimes  a  guest  loses  his  wife  in  these 
great  halls  ;  and  I  have  often  been  asked  if  I  have 
seen  somebody's  wife  or  somebody's  husband,  as 
they  had  missed  them  somehow.  My  answer  would 
be  that  it  was  a  common  occurrence  to  have  one 
lose  another  for  a  moment  in  this  large  establish- 
ment. But  the  Doctor  and  his  wife  were  always  so 
near  together  that  there  was  little  risk  of  their  being 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  239 

lost  to  each  other.  The  following  beautiful  lines 
from  the  Doctor's  facile  pen  will  illustrate  what  I 
have  said  : 

"  TO    MY    BELOVED    WIFE,    SIBYLLA. 

"  I  would  fain  as  a  king  to  my  dear  wife  bring 

A  befitting  award  of  her  worth  ; 
But  the  song  I  would  sing  is  a  trivial  thing, 
For  to  her  I  cling  as  the  fountain  spring 

Of  my  happiness  here  on  earth. 

"  We  have  hand  in  hand  roamed  in  many  a  land, 

And  have  sailed  over  many  a  sea  ; 
But  of  all  that  is  grand  on  a  foreign  strand, 
And  of  all  that  can  stand  as  the  heart's  demand, 
My  Sibylla  is  dearest  to  me. 

"  As  in  palaces  gray  we  were  wont  to  stray 

To  admire  their  resources  of  art  ; 
There  is  nothing  that  lay  in  the  tourist's  way 
That  could  tempt  a  delay,  or  a  moment's  stay, 
Like  her  image  enshrined  in  my  heart. 

"  All  applause  of  the  crowned  is  as  empty  sound 

To  be  lost  in  the  air  above  ; 

For  in  charms  that  abound  in  the  scenes  that  sur- 
round 
There  is  naught  to  be  found  in  the  wide  world 

round 
To  compare  with  the  hearfs  ozvn  love." 

Mr.  John  Sayre  Martin  and  Mrs.  Martin,  of  260 
Madison  Avenue,  New  York,  have  not  been  in  Sara- 
toga very  recently  ;  but  they  have  been  coming  here 


240  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


so  long  and  so  often  that  perhaps  they  find  a  change 
agreeable.  As  I  write,  one  of  Mr.  Martin's  cards, 
bearing  his  name  and  address,  lies  before  me.  He 
and  his  wife  stopped  over  a  day  or  two  on  their  way 
to  Niagara,  a  few  seasons  ago ;  and  it  was  then  he 
wrote  and  left  me  his  address.  I  wonder  if  Mrs. 
Martin  remembers  the  American  Beauty  rose  I 
placed  in  her  hand  the  morning  of  their  departure. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  W.  Gerard  I  had  not  seen  for 
many  long  years  ;  and  while  I  was  recalling  to  Mrs. 
Gerard  the  former  times  of  twenty-five  years  ago  at 
the  Clarendon,  Sir  Roderick  Cameron  joined  in  the 
conversation,  as  he  was  a  frequent  guest  at  the  same 
hotel.  But,  then,  he  was  plain  Mr.  Cameron.  Mr. 
James  English,  of  the  New  Haven  Electric  Light 
Co.,  who  has  been  a  regular  visitor  for  several  sea- 
sons, arrived  here  accompanied  by  Mrs.  English. 
They  are  staying  at  the  United  States  Hotel.  As 
in  other  seasons,  they  have  with  them  their  fine  rig 
which  is  seen  on  the  road  from  Broadway  to  Sara- 
toga Lake  every  afternoon.  The  big  bay  team,  with 
immaculate  white  collars,  and  polished  mountings, 
attached  to  the  stylish  victoria,  attracts  attention  in 
the  daily  parade  of  fashionable  vehicles  which  are 
always  out  on  pleasant  afternoons. 

Mr.  Joseph  Parker,  of  the  New  Haven  Paper  Com- 
pany, is  domiciled  at  the  States ;  and  also  Rev.  Dr. 
A.  D.  Lawrence  Jewett,  of  Nyack,  and  1328  iQth 
Street,  Washington  D.  C.,  with  his  daughter.  Dr. 
Jewett,  who  enjoys  Saratoga  life  very  much,  spent 
an  evening  with  Bishop  J.  P.  Newman,  who  is  at  Dr. 
Strong's,  and  of  course  it  was  a  happy  evening. 


REV.   OLIVER  CRANE,   D.D.,   LL.D. 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  241 

Others  among  our  guests  are  Mrs.  Judge  E.  Wood- 
ward, of  Lexington  Ky.,  Miss  Mason  of  Virginia  and 
Miss  Margaret  Preston  Duncan,  of  Lexington.  Mrs. 
Woodward  is  the  widow  of  the  late  Chief-Justice 
Woodward,  of  Pennsylvania,  although  for  the  pres- 
ent she  resides  in  Kentucky,  where  she  found,  after 
her  long  residence  in  Philadelphia,  the  same  old 
Kentucky  hospitality  in  her  old  home,  and  the  same 
beautiful  women  to  dispense  that  hospitality,  the 
same  chivalry  which  has  always  graced  that  proud 
commonwealth.  Down  there  everything  is  dropped 
for  a  dinner  party.  If  there  are  visitors  a  dinner  is 
given  every  day.  Guests  are  brought  from  Louis- 
ville, from  Cincinnati,  from  even  more  distant  towns. 
The  Kentuckian  who  will  not  let  business  take  care 
of  itself,  pack  his  dress  coat  into  a  valise  and  board 
the  cars  to  go  to  a  dinner  party,  is  not  worthy  the 
name  of  a  Kentucky  gentleman.  As  soon  as  one  host 
gets  through  with  a  visitor  others  are  crying  for  him. 
They  take  him  from  house  to  house,  from  dinner 
party  to  dinner  party.  The  Blue  Grass  region  of 
Kentucky  is  an  emerald  on  the  bosom  of  one  of  the 
fairest  States  in  the  Union.  The  people  who  live 
there  take  more  real  enjoyment  out  of  life  than  any 
other  people  in  the  world. 

Miss  Mason  spoke  to  me  in  glowing  terms  one  day 
of  the  Daughters  of  the  Confederacy,  and  declared 
that  they  would  rival  the  Daughters  of  the  Revolu- 
tion. The  latter  organization  was  to  meet  that  day 
in  one  of  the  smaller  parlors  ;  and  when  she  saw  so 
many  strange  women  gathering  about  the  hotel, 
Miss  Mason  inquired  the  cause  of  it.  On  being  told 

16 


242  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


by  me,  she  made  the  remark  above  quoted.  Miss 
Duncan,  who  is  a  rare  type  of  Southern  beauty,  be- 
longs to  one  of  the  oldest  families  in  Kentucky,  a 
State  which  is  called  the  most  conservative,  socially, 
of  any  in  the  whole  South.  A  decided  brunette,  she 
is  tall  and  queenly  in  bearing  with  a  manner  which 
culture  has  refined  to  the  point  of  unusual  gra- 
ciousness.  Miss  Laura  Brand,  of  Louisville,  had 
previously  visited  Saratoga,  chaperoned  by  Mrs. 
Woodward.  Miss  Laura,  as  I  used  to  call  her,  is  an 
acknowledged  beauty  in  every  way.  And  that  was 
the  opinion  especially  of  Rev.  Mr.  Clover,  at  Sara- 
toga, who  is  to  be  married  to  her  in  January ;  and  it 
was  a  clear  case  of  love  at  first  sight. 

Mr.  William  J.  Arkell,  commonly  known  as  the 
active  alert  Arkell,  drops  in  upon  us  every  summer, 
with  his  interesting  family.  Ever  since  he  estab- 
lished Judge  and  made  children  cry  for  it,  he  has 
kept  his  name  and  personality  before  the  public  by 
the  sheer  force  of  his  public  service.  Morris  Phillips, 
editor  and  publisher  of  the  New  York  Home  Journal 
is  at  the  States,  accompanied  by  his  daughter  and 
Mrs.  Hart. 

Others  not  to  be  omitted  from  our  honored  list  are 
William  C.  A.  Ayers,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  M.  Avers  and 
children,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  M.  W.  Ayers  and  children,  of 
Montclair,  N.  J.,  Mrs.  Anson  Phelps  Stokes,  Miss 
Phelps  Stokes,  Baron  and  the  Baroness  Halketh,  and 
Mrs.  Anna  M.  Lament,  widow  of  Charles  A.  Lament, 
555  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York,  who  with  her  family  are 
here  ;  also  Miss  Anna  L.  Lamont  and  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
James  R.  Jesup.  These  last  always  stopped  at  the 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  243 

good  old  States,  except  in  1893  when  they  stayed  at 
the  Windsor.  The  Laments  and  Jesupswere  always 
welcome  guests  ;  and  I  can  only  say  of  Mrs.  Lament 
that  she  was  one  of  the  sweetest  of  women,  the  tru- 
est of  mothers,  one  of  the  queens  of  society  ;  and 
withal  a  woman  of  great  popularity.  Best  of  all  she 
is  a  Christian  lady  ;  and  the  dignity  and  beauty  of 
her  life,  though  not  displayed  for  public  applause, 
remains  a  happy  remembrance  to  her  multitude  of 
friends. 

I  recall  that  early  in  September  Mrs.  Lament, 
Mrs.  Jesup,  and  Mrs.  Flagler  were  sitting  near  the 
hallway,  at  evening,  listening  to  the  music  which 
was  located  in  the  Brown  parlor.  It  was  rather  a 
conspicuous  place,  but  the  only  available  one,  being 
where  people  were  constantly  passing  to  and  fro  ; 
and  it  was  noticeable  that  many  stopped  to  pay  their 
respects  to  Mrs.  Lamont.  Mrs.  Ulysses  S.  Grant 
with  her  beautiful  grand-daughter,  Miss  Julia  Dent 
Grant,  having  been  at  Bar  Harbor  as  the  guest  of 
Mrs.  Potter  Palmer,  arrived  in  Saratoga  and  stopped 
at  the  Windsor  at  the  same  time  the  Laments  were 
at  the  States.  And  while  there  was  no  resemblance 
between  the  two  yet  Mrs.  Lamont  was  often  mis- 
taken for  Mrs.  Grant,  because  people  judged  by  the 
great  number  of  compliments  paid  to  Mrs.  Lamont. 
I  was  often  asked  that  evening  if  the  lady  sitting 
just  there  was  not  Mrs.  Grant.  I  remember  dis- 
tinctly, a  few  seasons  ago,  Mrs.  Lamont  was  about 
to  take  a  seat  beside  a  friend  in  the  corridor,  when 
she  found  that  her  position  brought  her  directly  in 
front  of  a  stranger  ;  and  she  instantly  arose,  such 


244  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


was  the  delicate  refinement  of  Mrs.  Lament,  and 
with  charming  courtesy  asked  the  stranger  to  excuse 
her.  Mrs.  Lament  never  forgets  to  be  a  thorough 
lady. 

Miss  Julia  Grant  is  a  sweet,  winsome,  gentle  girl. 
The  greatest  care  was  taken  in  her  training  to  keep 
her  lovable  and  trusting,  she  had  a  bonne  and  an 
English  gentlewoman  from  the  time  she  was  a  child 
until  she  went  to  Vienna,  where  she  had  private 
teachers  of  noble  birth.  She  studied  literature, 
history,  music,  painting,  and  the  art  of  pleasing. 
And  she  is  pleasing  and  pretty,  and  captivating  until 
her  beautiful  and  distinguished  Mamma  appears  and 
then  the  mother  puts  the  daughter  into  full  eclipse. 

This  season  of  1895,  of  which  I  am  writing, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  Harkness  Flagler,  ne'e  Anna 
Louisa  Lament,  arrived  at  the  States.  They  were 
married  April  2Oth,  1894.  Mr.  Flagler  has  taken 
rank  among  the  handsomest  young  married  men  of 
New  York  City  ;  and  he  has  become,  without  any 
effort,  a  universal  favorite.  And  now,  if  I  had  the 
words  of  the  world  at  my  command  I  could  not 
adequately  describe  the  lovely  and  lovable  young 
wife.  With  many  of  the  beautiful  ways  of  her 
mother,  the  sister  of  Mr.  Lansing  Lament,  she  is 
indeed  one  of  the  queens  of  the  kingdom  of  Society. 
It  seems  but  a  short  time  ago  that  she  was  known  at 
the  States  as  Miss  Anna.  Then  came  the  handsome 
Mr.  Flagler,  laying  siege  to  her  heart  and  capturing 
the  fair  lady.  And  did  I  not  whisper  to  him  that 
he  had  drawn  a  prize  ?  And  may  I  be  permitted  to 
say  of  Mrs.  Flagler,  that,  leaving  behind  her,  as  she 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  245 

has  done,  the  sweet  associations  of  her  early  home 
and  her  glad  young  days,  she  now  takes  with  her 
into  her  larger  life  of  wedded  womanhood  the  best 
wishes  of  us  all.  From  this  time  we  look  out  to  her 
future,  and  pray  Heaven  to  make  it  radiant  and 
serene. 

I  had  heard  that  one  of  the  most  interesting  feat- 
ures of  the  Ponce  de  Leon  at  St.  Augustine,  Florida, 
owned  by  Mr.  Henry  M.  Flagler,  was  an  elegant 
cushioned  sofa,  located  just  in  front  of  the  office, 
the  object  of  it  being  to  catch  guests  who  fainted  on 
the  presentation  of  their  bills.  My  informant  was 
unable,  however,  to  find  the  sofa  aforesaid  ;  and  all 
who  go  to  the  Ponce  de  Leon  know  that  they  can 
have  anything  in  the  way  of  accommodations  with 
corresponding  prices,  from  five  dollars  to  twenty-five 
dollars  per  day ;  precisely  the  same  as  at  any  other 
first-class  hostelry.  St.  Augustine  being  the  oldest 
town  in  the  United  States  is  interesting  historically, 
and  has  been  made  a  delightful  spot ;  and  every 
tourist  to  Florida  spends  a  few  days  in  the  famous 
old  town,  and  sees  the  most  fashionable  life  of  any 
winter  resort  in  the  country. 

Judge  and  Mrs.  George  P.  Andrews  were  prom- 
inent guests  last  summer.  Mrs.  Tremenheere  is 
a  daughter  of  Mrs.  Andrews,  and  her  husband, 
who  holds  a  position  in  India  under  the  English 
Government,  lives  in  a  style  such  as  the  Eastern 
tales  of  luxury  have  made  us  familiar  with. 

The  famous  beauty,  Mrs.  Burke-Roche,  and  her 
three  children,  Frank  and  Morris  who  are  twins,  and 
the  daughter  Cynthia,  are  enjoying  September  at 


246  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

the  Spa.  A  correspondent  writing  from  Narragan- 
sett,  where  Mrs.  Roche  had  formerly  spent  her 
summers,  relates  that  a  local  paper  there  conducted 
a  beauty-voting  contest  for  an  album,  and  that  Mrs. 
Burke-Roche's  name  led  all  the  rest. 

Mr.  Theodore  Hagaman,  of  New  Haven,  with 
Mrs.  Hagaman,  is  also  here.  I  have  often  told  her 
that  she  looked  like  Mrs.  Tremenheere.  Mrs.  Haga- 
man is  a  great  favorite  at  the  hotel,  very  popular, 
and  always  exquisitely  gowned.  The  Hagamans  had 
been  up  at  Lake  Champlain,  where  they  met  the 
widow  of  the  late  ex-Governor  James  E.  English,  of 
Connecticut,  who  had  been  a  frequent  visitor  at  the 
States  up  to  the  season  before  the  Governor  died. 
And  even  after  that  sad  event  the  widow  returned ; 
and  one  day  I  was  approached  by  a  rather  tall, 
stately  person  in  deep  mourning,  her  face  covered 
by  a  heavy  crape  veil.  After  telling  me  who  she 
was  the  lady  requested  that  if  any  one  called  I 
should  send  them  over  to  her  parlor  in  Cottage 
Row. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thompson,  Miss  Bertha  Thompson, 
Mr.  Richard  C.  St.  John  and  Mrs.  St.  John,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Edward  Van  Ness  are  here.  Mrs.  Van  Ness 
was  formerly  a  Bronson,  one  of  the  old  Hudson  River 
families,  and  they  have  a  fine  home  at  17  East  /ist 
Street,  New  York  City.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Albert  E. 
Goodhart  are  also  here.  Mrs.  Goodhart  was  a  Lauer, 
and  a  sister  to  Mrs.  Wormser,  the  latter  of  whom 
has  a  pretty  little  daughter  named  Miss  Edith 
Wormser.  Edmund  Clark  and  Grant  Clark  are  here 
enjoying  themselves,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clark,  their 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  247 

parents,  think  very  much  of  their  well-behaved  and 
pretty  sons,  as  well  they  may.  I  see  a  good  deal  of 
them  in  company  with  their  nurse,  who  seems  to 
«  think  as  much  of  them  as  their  parents  do.  I  re- 
ceived a  call  from  a  young  miss  whose  name  is 
Florence  Hathorn,  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Frank  Hathorn,  and  I  told  the  nurse  who  accom- 
panied the  little  darling  of  five  summers  that  I  knew 
the  child's  father,  Mr.  Hathorn,  of  Hathorn  Spring, 
when  he  was  about  the  age  of  the  little  one  whom 
he  had  so  kindly  sent  to  visit  me.  The  visit  and 
the  child's  attractiveness  brought  to  mind  the 
words  : 

"  A  dreary  place  would  be  this  earth 
Were  there  no  little  people  in  it  ; 
The  song  of  life  would  lose  its  mirth 
Were  there  no  children  to  begin  it." 

Mrs.  P.  V.  Fort,  of  Albany,  always  comes  in  every 
season  to  make  a  personal  call  on  me ;  and  I  greatly 
appreciate  her  kind  remembrance,  as  also  that  of 
Miss  Lucy  Gage,  who  not  only  calls  during  the 
summer,  but  on  every  September  3Oth  to  say  her 
pleasant  an  rcvoir.  I  did  not  see  the  good  lady 
this  season  ;  but  she  came  as  usual,  leaving  her  good- 
bye with  my  assistant,  adding  the  assurance  that 
she  meant  the  call  as  a  personal  compliment  to  me. 

Among  our  September  guests  I  recall  Mr.  Charles 
H.  Voorhis,  counsellor-at-law,  Montgomery  and 
Washington  Streets,  Jersey  City,  N.  J.,  and  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Thurlow  Weed  Barnes,  of  New  York. 
Mrs.  Barnes,  who  inherited  much  of  her  mother's 


248  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

regal  beauty,  was  her  father's  chum  and  particular 
favorite  when  at  home  with  his  family.  "  She  takes 
after  me,"  he  would  explain,  "  while  the  boys,  Hen- 
nen  and  Dave,  take  after  their  mother."  The  pres- 
ent Mrs.  Barnes  is  the  only  daughter  of  John  A. 
Morris,  who  died  in  May,  1895. 

Dr.  Nathan  Bozeman,  of  9  West  3ist  Street,  New 
York,  was  one  of  our  regular  summer  visitors,  but 
this  year  he  was  the  honored  guest  of  Mrs.  Daniel 
Lathrop,  at  her  charming  residence,  Woodlawn 
Avenue.  I  am  reminded  that  one  year  ago  Mrs. 
Christine  Lathrop  passed  away  ;  for 

"  There  is  no  death  ; 
What  seems  so  is  transition  ; 
This  life  of  mortal  breath 
Is  but  the  threshold  of  the  life  elysian." 

We  had  as  visitors  to  the  hotel  a  couple  of  ladies 
whom  it  was  a  pleasure  to  meet.  They  attended 
some  of  our  concerts,  and  I  always  welcomed  them. 
I  refer  to  the  Misses  Tompkins,  614  Willoughby 
Avenue,  Brooklyn,  who  are  stopping  at  a  private 
boarding-house.  The  two  ladies  are  the  direct  de- 
scendants of  Daniel  D.  Tompkins,  so  familiar  to 
students  of  our  history  ;  and  of  his  father,  Jonathan 
G.  Tompkins,  a  farmer  who  performed  important 
service  to  his  country  during  the  Revolutionary  con- 
flict. D.  D.  Tompkins  was  Vice-President  of  the 
United  States,  Governor  of  New  York  three  terms, 
a  member  of  Congress,  and  the  occupant  of  many 
other  places  of  trust  and  responsibility.  Of  course, 
Miss  Cassie  and  Miss  M.  H.  Tompkins,  of  whom  I 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  249 

write,  are  very  proud  of  their  lineage,  as  indeed  they 
ought  to  be. 

Hon.  D.  Cady  Herrick,  of  Albany,  and  Hon. 
Stephen  L.  Mayham  of  Schoharie,  both  Supreme 
Court  Justices,  are  at  the  States.  Mrs.  Herrick 
joined  the  Judge  for  a  few  days.  Judge  Herrick  is 
successor  to  Judge  Learned,  who  was  also  one  of  our 
September  guests. 

Ex-Judge  William  Law  Learned  is  one  of  the  most 
distinguished  lawyers  and  jurists  in  this  State.  His 
written  opinions  while  on  the  Supreme  Court  Bench, 
can  be  found  in  great  numbers  in  the  New  York  Law 
Reports.  Mr.  Learned  was  born  in  New  London, 
Conn.,  July  24,  1821,  and  is  a  direct  descendant  of 
William  Learned,  who  came  from  England  about 
1630  and  settled  at  Charlestown,  Mass.  Judge 
Learned's  mother,  Lydia  Colt,  was  a  descendant  of 
John  Colt  from  Wales,  another  early  Massachusetts 
settler. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  P.  Wadsworth  of  New  York, 
also  Mr.  William  H.  Sands  and  family,  are  registered 
with  us.  Mrs.  Sands  is  a  daughter  of  Mr.  Jacob 
Lorillard  of  the  well-known  family  of  that  name. 
They  have  with  them  their  two  lovely  children,  Miss 
Anita  and  Master  Harold.  Pierre  Lorillard,  the 
well-known  turfman  and  clubman,  is  at  the  Grand 
Union  Hotel.  He  is  accompanied  by  a  party  of 
four,  and  they  have  one  of  the  handsomest  cottages 
in  the  grounds.  D.  S.  Arnold  of  Brooklyn  is  also  at 
the  Grand  Union.  Colonel  William  F.  Sinn,  the 
popular  proprietor  of  the  Park  Theatre,  Brooklyn, 
is  enjoying  his  first  sojourn  in  Saratoga,  and  he  ex- 


250  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

presses  himself  greatly  pleased  with  the  splendor  of 
this  metropolitan  village.  I  am  tempted  to  add 
that  not  only  was  Colonel  Sinn  a  stranger  to  Sara- 
toga, but  that  nothing  bearing  his  name  was  ever 
known  here.  However,  I  am  not  sure  that  such  a 
statement  would  be  credited  entirely,  and  so  I  for- 
bear the  pun. 

Mr.  J.  H.  Van  Antwerp  of  Albany,  and  his  daugh- 
ter Mrs.  Stanton,  with  Miss  Martha  Stanton,  his 
pretty  grand-daughter,  are  hotel  guests  located  in 
Cottage  Row.  Mr.  Van  Antwerp  is  widely  known 
in  business  and  professional  circles,  and  has  demon- 
strated his  capacity  to  care  for  the  property  of  oth- 
ers by  the  diligence  and  enterprise  he  has  so  long 
displayed.  He  is  President  of  the  National  Savings 
Bank  of  Albany,  and  that  is  an  institution  scarcely 
excelled  by  any  of  its  kind.  Mr.  Van  Antwerp  is 
indeed  a  veteran  in  the  banking  business,  having 
been  identified  with  one  bank,  the  New  York  State 
National,  since  in  1847.  He  was  also  one  of  the 
original  commissioners  of  the  Washington  Park,  of 
Albany,  and  for  fifteen  years  was  first  President  of 
the  Board.  During  the  laborious  period  of  its  trans- 
formation from  its  barren  surroundings  to  its  present 
beauty,  he  has  been  honorably  and  conspicuously 
identified  with  the  progress  of  Albany.  A  very 
conservative  man,  he  is  looked  upon  as  a  high  au- 
thority upon  everything  connected  with  the  banking 
business.  The  National  Savings  Bank  is  looked 
upon  with  pride  by  the  citizens  of  Albany  and  adja- 
cent towns. 

Mr.  H.  H.  De  Leon  and  Miss  De  Leon  of  Charles- 


JOHN   H.  VAN  ANTWERP. 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  251 


ton,  South  Carolina,  are  at  Congress  Hall  ;  and  he 
never  fails  to  pay  me  a  visit,  I  myself  being  an  old 
Charlestonian.  Miss  De  Leon  is  as  charming  as  the 
proverbial  Southern  girl  well  could  be,  and  is  sure  to 
find  the  good  time  sought  for  in  Saratoga.  During 
the  morning  hour  of  the  music  my  attention  was 
called  to  a  couple  of  elderly  ladies.  White  hair,  white 
caps,  sweet  faces,  a  cluster  of  pretty  curls  on  each 
side  of  their  foreheads,  their  dress  and  manner  spoke 
of  good  old  times.  The  two  ladies  had  called  on  a 
friend,  and  after  I  had  sent  their  cards,  I  remained  on 
the  front  piazza  near  the  doorway.  They  began  at 
once  to  assure  me  that  the  States  of  to-day  was  not 
the  States  of  thirty  years  ago.  At  that  time,  said 
one  of  these  dames,  the  United  States  Hotel  boasted 
of  its  old  families  and  great  respectability.  It  was 
a  time  when  character,  position,  and  standing  were 
absolute  prerequisites  to  political  preferment  ;  and 
the  social  circle  was  a  sealed  book.  Money  at  that 
time  was  not  taken  into  consideration.  It  was  fam- 
ily, position,  and  blood.  How  sad  it  is  to  reflect  that 
wealth  has  accumulated  at  the  sacrifice  of  nobler 
things  !  At  that  time  few  Americans  visited  Europe, 
and  such  a  creature  as  a  demoralized  man,  wrecked 
by  the  gross  immoralities  of  Europe,  was  unknown. 
Now,  amidst  this  terrible  exodus  to  Europe  nothing 
except  moral  deterioration  is  expected.  Tourists, 
as  they  call  themselves,  return  thoroughly  indoctri- 
nated. 

Early  in  the  season,  the  United  States  Hotel  en- 
tertained at  a  complimentary  dinner  four  of  the 
visiting  bishops  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 


252  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

Those  present  were  :  Rt.  Rev.  Dr.  Charles  Todd 
Quintard  and  Mrs.  Quintard  of  Tennessee  ;  the  Rt. 
Rev.  Dr.  John  Scarborough  and  Mrs.  Scarborough  of 
New  Jersey ;  Rt.  Rev.  Dr.  William  Stevens  Perry, 
Mrs.  Perry  and  Miss  Perry  of  Iowa  ;  and  Rt.  Rev. 
Dr.  William  D.  Walker  of  North  Dakota ;  Rev.  Dr. 
Joseph  Carey,  rector  of  Bethesda  church,  and  Mrs. 
Carey ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  A.  Moore  of  North 
Broadway ;  Mrs.  Murray  Shoemaker,  Hon.  James 
M.  Marvin  and  Judge  William  Sackett,  church  war- 
dens of  Saratoga,  and  George  Quintard,  of  New 
York,  brother  of  the  Bishop  of  Tennessee. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Flannigan  of  New  York  ar- 
rived late  this  season  ;  and  they  always  occupy  the 
former  rooms  of  the  late  Mrs.  Robert  L.  Stuart. 
Mrs.  Flannigan  is  very  careful  about  sitting  in  a 
draught,  and  as  she  has  a  seat  in  the  Blue  room 
every  evening,  I  make  it  my  practice  to  see  that  the 
windows  are  tightly  closed.  Mrs.  Flannigan  is  tall 
and  stately,  and  Mr.  Flannigan  is  of  a  distinguished 
bearing,  and  they  are  together  a  very  handsome 
couple.  Their  daughter,  Mrs.  Yellott  D.  Dechert, 
with  Master  James  Flannigan  Dechert,  only  two 
years  and  nine  months  old  on  September  i6th,  was 
with  us  throughout  September.  Master  James  is  a 
bright  and  interesting  child  ;  and  when  his  grand- 
mother sent  him  down  to  see  me,  he  put  his  little 
hand  across  his  breast  and  recited  this  baby  verse  : — 

"  Hi-diddle-diddle 
The  cat's  in  the  fiddle  ; 
The  cow  jumped  over  the  moon  ; 
The  little  dog  laughed  to  see  such  sport, 
And  the  dish  ran  after  the  spoon." 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  253 

And  then  with  a  profound  bow  the  little  fellow 
bade  me  good-morning.  His  grandfather  is  exceed- 
ingly fond  of  him,  and  related  to  me  what  had  taken 
place  up  at  Schroon  Lake.  It  seems  that  there  was 
a  clergyman  present  at  the  same  hotel  where  they 
were  stopping ;  and  for  some  reason  or  other  Master 
"  Jimmy  "  told  the  minister  that  he  was  no  good. 
And  then  when  asked  what  he  was,  he  quickly  re- 
plied :  "  I  am  a  Cuban." 

Mr.  Joseph  W.  Harper,  of  Harper  Brothers,  with 
Mrs.  Harper  and  their  little  grandchild,  came  to 
Saratoga  to  enjoy  September.  The  last  time  he  was 
in  Saratoga  he  presented  me  with  a  copy  of  the  book 
entitled  A  Noble  Life,  by  the  author  of  John  Hali- 
fax, Gentleman,  the  author  of  both  being  Miss  Mu- 
lock.  In  a  conversation  with  Mr.  Harper  he  told 
me  that  he  had  the  pleasure  of  dining  with  Miss 
Mulock  while  in  England,  and  found  her  a  charming 
hostess. 

Robert  G.  Remsen  is  one  of  the  real  old  Wash- 
ington Square  New  Yorkers,  who  are  less  in  evidence 
of  late  years  than  the  nouveaux  riches.  He  is  one 
of  the  oldest  living  members  of  the  Union  Club. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Remsen  with  the  Misses  Remsen  were 
season  guests  at  the  States  until  recently ;  also  Mr. 
William  Remsen  and  daughter.  The  death  of  Mr. 
William  Remsen,  in  March,  1895,  threw  a  large  family 
connection  in  mourning,  including  the  Manices,  the 
Webbs,  and  the  Robert  Remsens.  William  Remsen 
was  a  brother  of  Robert  G.  Remsen,  and  they  were 
sons  of  Henry  Remsen  who  was  private  secretary  to 
Thomas  Jefferson.  It  was  only  recently  that  Mr. 
Remsen  gave  a  large  family  dinner  to  celebrate  the 


254  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

anniversary  of  his  birth  and  wedding,  and  to  each 
of  his  guests  he  presented  a  photograph  of  himself, 
with  his  autograph,  which  was  written  in  a  clear, 
firm  hand.  Mr.  Remsen's  wife,  who  died  some  years 
ago,  was,  like  him,  a  descendant  of  an  old  Dutch  fam- 
ily, the  Suydams.  Until  a  few  years  ago  the  Rem- 
sen  manor  house  on  Cherry  Street  was  still  standing, 
and  the  City  Hall  Park  was  once  a  part  of  the  or- 
chard of  the  old  farm. 

Henry  D.  Brookman  and  family,  of  Brooklyn, 
thought  that  the  summer  outing  would  be  incom- 
plete if  they  did  not  come  to  Saratoga.  Mr.  Brook- 
man was  born  in  Buckport,  Me.,  in  1815.  In  1863 
he  married  Miss  Marion  Prentice,  daughter  of  John 
N.  Prentice,  of  the  Prentice  warehouses.  They 
had  one  son,  Henry  Prentice  Brookman,  and  two 
daughters,  Mrs.  Amory  Carhart  and  Mrs.  Philip 
Niles.  The  family  has  long  occupied  a  leading  place 
in  Brooklyn  society.  The  weddings  of  Mrs.  Carhart 
and  Mrs.  Niles  were  noted  society  incidents.  Mr. 
Brookman  enjoyed  excellent  health  until  a  few 
months  ago,  when  he  was  attacked  with  bronchitis. 
He  had  a  good  constitution,  and  did  not  look  or  act 
like  a  man  eighty  years  old.  Socially  he  was  a 
courtly,  polished  man,  and  a  favorite  among  his  cir- 
cle of  friends.  His  family  was  everything  to  him, 
and  nearly  all  his  time  was  spent  at  home.  He  be- 
longed to  no  clubs. 

Mr.  and  Charles  D.  Stickney  were  the  guests  of  Mr. 
Spencer  Trask  at  "  Yaddo."  When  the  lady  was 
plain  Miss  Hamersly,  located  in  Cottage  Row,  with 
her  father,  each  Sunday  afternoon  I  would  send 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  255 

all  the  little  children  in  and  out  of  the  hotel  to 
Miss  Hamersly's  parlor,  where  she  taught  Sunday 
School  lessons  to  tiny  waifs.  Mr.  Stickney  at  that 
time  came  to  us  bringing  his  mother  with  him.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  William  Kraus  and  their  family,  Mrs.  Sims 
and  her  daughter  Stella  usually  spend  three  weeks  of 
September  at  the  hotel.  They  are  very  quiet  people, 
making  no  display  ;  but  Mr.  Kraus  with  his  wife  and 
children  are  extremely  happy  in  each  other's  society. 
I  have  remarked  to  Mrs.  Kraus  that  I  would  choose 
to  be  written  somewhere  after  they  had  all  passed 
away  this  sentiment  :  "  A  Family  in  Heaven." 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Wood,  of  Philadelphia,  reg- 
istered at  the  States ;  also  Miss  Margaret  B.  Thorne, 
8  East  55th  Street,  New  York;  Miss  Celeste  Weed, 
12  East  58th  Street,  New  York.  Miss  Weed  is  the 
daughter  of  Hon.  Smith  M.  Weed,  of  Plattsburgh, 
and  I  had  a  pleasant  chat  one  evening  with  her  and 
Miss  Thorne  in  the  small  parlor,  as  I  had  known  Mr. 
Weed  in  Albany.  They  remained  with  us  quite  late 
in  September,  and  seemed  always  to  be  together. 
George  J.  Appold,  of  Baltimore,  arrived  with  his 
daughters,  Misses  Alice,  Grace  H.,  and  Nettie  Ap- 
pold. Last  year,  among  our  notable  early  guests, 
were  Mrs.  Alexander  Brown  and  her  cousin  Miss 
Montague,  also  of  Baltimore.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry 
Knickerbacker,  of  New  York,  occupy,  when  in  Sara- 
toga, their  Circular  Street  mansion.  We  are  always 
glad  to  receive  a  call  from  them.  Charles  A.  Pea- 
body,  of  New  York,  and  Philip  G.  Peabody,  of  Bos- 
ton, arrived  at  the  Spa  ;  also  Mrs.  Andrew  Gregg, 
of  Baltimore,  with  her  son  Mr.  Morris  Gregg,  and 


256  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

these  are  sure  to  be  found  at  the  States  every 
season. 

Mr.  Cicero  J.  Hamlin,  of  Buffalo,  joined  his  wife 
at  the  United  States.  Mr.  Hamlin  is  the  fortunate 
owner  of  the  famous  village  stock-farm.  Mr.  D.  O. 
Mills,  the  New  York  millionaire  banker  and  father- 
in-law  of  Whitelaw  Reid,  is  enjoying  a  sojourn  at 
the  States.  He  is  a  familiar  figure  on  what  is  called 
the  millionaires'  piazza.  Mr.  Collis  P.  Huntington, 
of  New  York,  stopped  over  en  route  to  his  Adiron- 
dack camp,  on  Blue  Mountain  Lake. 

Augustus  C.  Downing  and  family  are  old  States 
guests,  but  lately  they  enjoy  cottage  life,  and  every 
pleasant  day  Mr.  Downing  could  be  seen  sitting  in 
front  of  the  hotel  on  the  sidewalk.  Mr.  Downing 
was  born  in  New  York  in  1818.  When  still  young 
he  removed  with  his  family  to  Long  Island.  His 
father  was  a  member  of  an  old  Quaker  family  well 
known  on  Long  Island.  Mr.  Downing  was  also  a 
relative  of  the  Sands  family  of  Brooklyn.  He  grew 
up  at  Sands  Point,  on  Long  Island,  and  when  he 
attained  his  majority  he  moved  back  to  New  York 
and  engaged  in  the  plate-glass  business.  He  founded 
the  firm  of  Schenck  &  Downing.  The  firm  was 
known  all  over  the  world,  and  controlled  extensive 
plate-glass  interests  in  Belgium.  Mr.  Downing  re- 
tired from  business  thirty-five  years  ago,  and  has 
since  lived  quietly  in  his  home  on  Fifth  Avenue, 
New  York,  in  the  midst  of  his  interesting  family. 

General  Benjamin  F.  Tracy  was  in  Europe  this 
year,  and  did  not  come  as  usual  to  the  Springs.  One 
is  struck  by  his  sturdy  appearance,  and  yet  with  the 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  257 

ease  with  which  he  moves,  especially  when  mount- 
ing a  flight  of  steps.  His  hair  and  whiskers  are 
gray,  but  do  not  indicate  old  age.  The  General  has 
had  great  sorrow  in  his  life,  and  since  the  fearful 
tragedy  in  Washington,  which  robbed  him  of  sev- 
eral members  of  his  family,  he  has  aged  rapidly. 

Mr.  John  King  and  his  lovely  wife  and  his  son 
Jack  are  in  Japan.  Mr.  King  was  with  us  last  year, 
but  quite  an  invalid,  as  we  were  all  sorry  to  know. 
He  is  too  good  a  man  to  suffer,  and  I  trust  he  is 
better.  I  remember  him  when  a  young  man,  when 
he  was  with  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad,  and 
he  remained  in  the  employ  of  that  company  twenty- 
seven  years.  His  kindness  to  me  at  that  time,  and 
the  many  favors  shown  me  later,  are  not  forgotten, 
and  shall  always  cause  me  to  entertain  for  him  the 
highest  respect  and  the  tenderest  regard. 

Mrs.  Walter  Henderson  Bryant,  of  116  South 
Twenty-second  Street,  Philadelphia,  spent  the  sea- 
son here.  Miss  Fanny  Payn,  Mrs.  Bryant's  niece, 
is  a  great  favorite,  and  she  is  a  sweet,  gracious,  gen- 
tle young  lady,  having  a  beautiful  figure  and  charm- 
ing manners.  I  often  wished  she  would  pass  through 
the  hotel,  on  her  way  to  Broadway,  more  frequently 
than  she  did,  for  it  was  indeed  a  pleasure  to  receive 
a  pleasant  nod  and  a  kind  word  from  the  young 
lady.  Miss  Fanny  is  the  grand-daughter  of  Hon. 
James  M.  and  Mrs.  Marvin,  and  a  cousin  to  Miss 
Henrietta  Shoemaker. 

Mr.  Edward  M.  Knox,  with  his  accomplished  wife, 
have  not  been  up  to  Saratoga  for  a  long  time.  I  re- 
member Mrs.  Knox  when  she  was  Miss  Florence 
17 


258  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

Rice,  and  a  beautiful  young  girl  she  was,  and  oh, 
such  a  singer !  We  were  great  friends  in  the  early 
days  of  the  Clarendon  ;  and  only  once  have  I  seen 
the  lady  since  then.  It  was  at  the  States,  and  she 
was  accompanied  by  her  fine-looking  husband.  I 
hope  they  have  not  entirely  forsaken  Saratoga. 

Ex-Governor  Oden  Bowie,  of  Maryland,  never 
missed  coming  to  Saratoga  during  the  racing  season. 
He  was  the  prime  mover  in  the  organization  of  the 
Maryland  Jockey  Club,  and  for  nineteen  years  its 
president.  On  the  turf  he  was  the  associate  of  Gal- 
way,  Belmont,  and  Lorillard.  The  Bowie  colors 
were  often  seen  in  front.  Governor  Bowie,  on  his 
mother's  side,  was  descended  from  the  founder  of 
Maryland,  Lord  Baltimore. 

Dr.  James  Ridley  Taylor  of  234  East  I2th  Street, 
New  York,  was  born  in  Scotland  and  came  to  this 
country  when  a  young  man.  He  was  gifted  with  great 
inventive  talents,  and  these  he  employed  in  mechani- 
cal pursuits,  which  soon  brought  him  a  competency 
and  finally  a  fortune.  His  visit  to  Saratoga  seemed 
to  be  very  enjoyable  to  him  ;  and  he  especially  appre- 
ciated dining  at  the  Lake  with  a  party  of  friends. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  I.  Amsdell  and  the  mother 
of  Mrs.  Amsdell,  all  of  Albany,  were  at  the  States  in 
1890  ;  but  they  have  never  returned,  although  they 
are  frequent  guests  at  the  Grand  Union.  It  was 
very  sad  that  Mrs.  Amsdell's  dear  mother  passed 
away  so  soon,  after  leaving  us  in  apparently  good 
health.  It  is  the  memory  of  that  event,  probably, 
which  has  prevented  their  return.  Mr.  Amsdell  is  a 
whole-souled,  kind-hearted  man.  Life  seems  to  have 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  259 

no  melancholy  side  for  him ;  and  he  always  has  a 
good  and  kind  word  for  you  and  is  ever  ready  to  do 
you  a  favor. 

Addison  Cammack,  Esq.,  and  Mrs.  Cammack  with 
their  lovely  boys,  have  not  been  here  this  season, 
nor  Mr.  Clarence  A.  Postley  of  817  Fifth  Avenue. 
They  are  usually  found  in  Cottage  Row  every  season. 
They  are  very  much  missed.  Mrs.  A.  H.  Allen,  220 
Beacon  Street,  Boston,  sojourned  with  us  for  a  brief 
time  ;  a  friendly  lady,  contented  and  happy  and  dis- 
posed to  make  every  one  around  her  share  that 
happiness. 

William  H.  Chapman  never  missed  coming  to 
Saratoga  unless  he  was  abroad.  A  bachelor  of 
bachelors,  he  is  nevertheless  very  popular  with  the 
fair  sex.  He  is  looking  as  young  as  when  I  first 
knew  him.  I  asked  him  this  season  how  he  managed 
to  keep  back  the  hands  on  the  dial-plate  of  time. 
His  name  was  the  first  to  appear  on  the  register  of 
the  Windsor  Hotel,  New  York  City,  when  that 
hostelry  began  business,  and  he  is  still  making  it  his 
home. 

Mrs.  Perry  and  her  niece  Miss  Josephine  C.  May- 
her,  of  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  are  here  ;  and  I  can  hardly 
say  enough  in  their  praise.  Mrs.  Perry  is  truly  an 
excellent  lady,  refined  in  her  tastes,  exquisite  in  her 
manners.  Miss  Josephine,  as  I  called  her,  is  very 
friendly.  She  is  a  most  pronounced  type  of  Ameri- 
can girlhood,  and  has  the  charm  of  speech  to  make 
her  individuality  felt  everywhere  ;  and,  adding  her 
exquisite  taste  in  the  matter  of  dress,  she  captivated 
even  the  society  of  Saratoga.  Mr.  Peter  Marie  and 


260  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

Mr.  George  W.  Elder  and  family  are  also  here.  Miss 
Ida  Jacobs,  tall  and  commanding  in  figure,  with 
glowing  dark  eyes  and  rippling  dark  hair,  takes  her 
natural  place  as  a  decided  belle  ;  and  has  a  host  of 
admirers. 

I  will  especially  name  in  this  connection,  Calvin 
S.  May,  M.  D.,  who  is  considered  the  house  physician 
in  the  United  States,  and  is  explicitly  endorsed  by 
the  hotel  authorities.  His  circular  reads:  "The 
Osborn,  57th  Street  and  Seventh  Avenue,  New 
York.  July  and  August,  Room  403,  United  States 
Hotel,  Saratoga  Springs,  N.  Y.,  Office  hours  12  to 
i  P.M.  and  6  to  7  P.M."  Dr.  May  and  his  wife  and 
daughter  are  not  only  honored  for  the  Doctor's 
medical  standing,  and  for  the  social  status  they  oc- 
cupy at  Saratoga,  but  they  are  an  exemplary  Chris- 
tian family,  happy  among  themselves  and  respected 
by  every  one  around  them. 

Mr.  Fred.  Sterry,  who  has  become  so  well  known 
to  the  tourist  public  by  means  of  his  management 
of  the  Lakewood,  at  Lakewood,  N.  J.,  and  the  hotels 
at  Hot  Springs,  in  Virginia,  is  to  assume  direction 
of  the  New  Palm  Beach  Inn,  Lake  Worth,  which 
when  completed  will  be  the  latest  addition  to  the 
Florida  Coast  Line.  The  Inn  will  open  in  Decem- 
ber, and  not  close  its  doors  until  May.  Mr.  Sterry 
is  probably  the  youngest  proprietor  of  a  hotel  in  the 
country. 

When  Mr.  Sterry  and  his  wife  sailed  for  Gibraltar, 
in  1893,  to  make  a  tour  of  Spain,  France,  Italy,  and 
Switzerland,  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
Mr.  Cleveland,  gave  him  letters  to  the  American 


CALVIN  S.    MAY,  M.  D. 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  261 

consuls,  insuring  him  all  courtesies  that  could  be 
extended  to  a  traveller. 

There  is  not  a  man  anywhere  that  does  not  revere, 
admire,  and  love  womanhood.  The  sweetest  pictures 
of  womankind  have  been  drawn  by  men  ;  and  the 
noblest  praise  of  woman  has  been  uttered  by  men. 
Pardon  me  what  I  am  about  to  say  of  Mrs.  Sterry, 
formerly  Miss  Cleveland,  daughter  of  Frederick 
Cleveland,  of  Albany. 

The  lady  is  plain  of  face  and  dress,  in  manner  un- 
assuming and  modest,  but  always  remarkable  for 
her  refined  beauty,  her  grace,  and  the  sweetness  of 
her  disposition.  If  ever  there  breathed  a  noble 
young  woman  ;  if  ever  there  lived  a  devoted  wife, 
that  woman  and  that  wife  is  Mrs.  Frederick  Sterry. 

Apropos  of  hotel  proprietors,  a  most  graceful  com- 
pliment was  paid  to  Mr.  Warren  F.  Leland,  proprie- 
tor of  the  Ocean  House  at  Newport,  when  some  of 
the  leading  citizens  honored  him  with  a  banquet  and 
presented  him  with  a  beautiful  silver  punch-bowl.  Mr. 
Leland  has  managed  this  swell  hotel  with  growing 
success  for  two  years,  and  the  demonstration  was  in 
appreciation  of  his  value  to  Newport  as  a  summer 
resort  manager. 

Congressman  Melville  Bull  presided,  and  proposed 
the  health  and  continued  prosperity  of  Mr.  Leland, 
the  guest  of  the  evening,  who  responded  felicitously. 
The  punch-bowl  was  then  presented,  and,  although 
greatly  surprised,  Mr.  Leland  made  a  very  fitting 
response.  The  bowl  is  inscribed  as  follows : 

"  Presented  to  W.  F.  Leland  by  his  Newport  friends, 
Sept.  12,  1895." 


262  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

General  Charles  H.  T.  Collis  makes  flying  visits  to 
Saratoga  for  the  purpose  of  spending  some  of  his 
time  with  his  lovely  wife,  Mrs.  Collis,  who  usually 
stays  the  season  through.  This  summer  she  is  stop- 
ping at  the  Huestis  House. 

General  Collis  is  a  lawyer  of  recognized  ability,  and 
counsel  to  the  Equitable  Life  Insurance  Company. 
He  was  born  in  Ireland,  and  came  with  his  father  to 
this  country  when  twelve  years  of  age,  making  Phil- 
adelphia his  home.  When  his  father  had  decided  to 
live  permanently  in  America,  Mrs.  Collis  and  the 
eight  remaining  children  were  sent  for.  They  sailed 
on  the  ill-fated  City  of  Glasgow,  and  all  nine  perished 
by  the  foundering  of  that  vessel  in  mid-ocean. 

In  1859,  General  Collis  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
and  volunteered  for  service  at  the  breaking  out  of 
the  war.  He  was  appointed  Sergeant-Major  of  the 
Eighteenth  Pennsylvania  Militia  and  won  many 
honors.  He  was  made  Brigadier-General,  and  for 
gallant  conduct  at  Petersburg  he  was  promoted  to 
Major-General  and  personally  complimented  by 
Lieutenant-General  U.  S.  Grant. 

Twelve  years  ago  he  moved  to  New  York  City 
and  from  the  beginning  took  a  commanding  position 
in  social,  political,  and  financial  circles. 

Mr.  and  Mr.  J.  Searle  Barclay  arrived  late  in  Sep- 
tember at  Saratoga,  and  were  stopping  at  the  pala- 
tial villa  of  Mrs.  A.  Scott  Cameron.  Mrs.  Barclay, 
with  her  maid,  came  up  on  the  piazza  of  the  hotel, 
and  after  shaking  hands  commenced  an  animated 
conversation  about  the  good  old  times  at  the  Claren- 
don Hotel  in  this  village,  where  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jonas 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  263 

Phillips  and  their  three  boys  were  also  summer 
guests.  After  I  had  kindly  inquired  about  the  fam- 
ily, Mrs.  Barclay  informed  me  that  Mr.  Phillips  was 
dead,  Mrs.  Phillips  was  as  pretty  as  ever,  and  Angelo, 
the  eldest  son,  had  just  been  made  a  benedict,  mar- 
rying a  Miss  Taintor,  an  esteemed  young  friend  of 
Mrs.  Barclay.  Just  then  Mr.  Barclay  put  in  an  ap- 
pearance, and  his  wife  told  him  we  were  talking 
about  the  times  long  before  she  became  his  happy 
wife. 

No  guest  ever  entertained  at  Saratoga  Springs  ex- 
celled Mrs.  J.  Searle  Barclay  in  popularity.  There 
is  a  charm  about  her  personality  that  makes  her  wel- 
come in  any  gathering.  Always  a  "  Beauty,"  not 
only  in  face  and  figure  but  in  the  attractiveness  of 
her  kind  ways  and  pure  heart,  possessing  a  large 
measure  of  her  mother's  tact  and  gracious  manner, 
I  might  truly  quote  Cowley's  lines : 

"  The  fairest  garden  in  her  looks, 
And  in  her  mind  the  wisest  books." 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ruggles  could  always  be  found  at 
the  Spa  every  year,  and  for  several  seasons  occupied 
a  cottage  on  upper  Broadway.  It  is  not  so  long  since 
Death  came  into  the  family  circle  and  with  gentle  but 
relentless  hand  removed  the  much  loved  and  honored 
wife  of  Mr.  H.  M.  Ruggles,  and  the  dear  mother  of 
Mrs.  Barclay. 

It  might  truly  be  said  of  the  late  Mrs.  Ruggles  : 

"  None  knew  her  but  to  love  her 
None  named  her  but  to  praise." 


264  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

Mrs.  C.  M.  Sewall,  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Cameron 
and  also  of  Dr.  Sewall  of  New  York,  very  often 
comes  down  to  the  hotel  and  joins  a  bevy  of  ladies 
at  the  morning  hour  of  music.  It  gives  me  great 
pleasure  to  see  that  Mrs.  Sewall  is  at  once  served 
with  a  comfortable  seat.  I  have  often  told  the  lady 
that  a  hearty  welcome  awaited  her,  and  that  the 
latch-string  of  the  door  of  the  good  old  States  would 
always  be  found  hanging  on  the  outside  for  her. 
Surely  these  lines  which  I  borrow  from  the  familiar 
nursery  rhyme  will  very  justly  apply  to  Mrs.  Sew- 
all : 

"  Little  deeds  of  kindness, 

Little  words  of  love, 

Make  the  earth  an  Eden, 

Like  the  Heaven  above." 

On  the  28th  of  September  one  of  the  cosy  par- 
lors of  the  United  States  Hotel  was  the  scene  of  a 
select  and  charming  "  donkey  party."  The  party 
was  given  by  Mrs.  S.  U.  Cadwell  and  Miss  Ida  Ben- 
nett, of  New  York,  under  whose  direction  the  event 
was  a  pronounced  and  pleasant  success. 

The  guests  were  :  Mrs.  W.  H.  Hanson,  Mrs. 
Linsly,  Mrs.  Bogert,  the  Misses  Bogert,  Miss  Sarah 
Bennett,  Mrs.  Stewart,  Miss  Wilcox,  the  Misses 
Nash,  W.  D.  Ellis,  Dr.  Cochrane,  J.  Warren  Nash, 
Dr.  W.  E.  Swan,  the  Messrs.  McConihe,  George 
Stuart  Smith,  and  Frank  A.  Burd. 

The  first  prize  for  the  ladies  was  awarded  to  Mrs. 
Hanson,  and  first  prize  for  the  gentlemen  to  Mr. 
Ellis.  The  ladies'  booby  prize  fell  to  Mrs.  Linsly, 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  265 

and  the  gentlemen's  to  Dr.  Swan.  The  winners 
wore  their  honors  gracefully. 

Informal  dancing  followed  the  party.  Mr.  Smith 
presided  at  the  pianoforte.  At  the  conclusion  there 
were  refreshments  served. 

On  October  i,  1895,  the  United  States  Hotel 
closed  its  doors  for  the  season.  Mr.  E.  H.  Bennett 
and  family,  who  were  the  first  arrivals  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  season,  were  the  last  to  take  their  de- 
parture. 

On  the  2 1st  of  October,  news  was  received  from 
Paris  of  the  death  of  John  W.  Mackay,  Jr.,  who  was 
thrown  from  a  fractious  colt  in  a  steeplechase  race. 

Mrs.  Mackay  maintains  an  extensive  establish- 
ment in  London  and  has  a  magnificent  country  es- 
tate, I  believe,  in  Berkshire.  JohnW.  Mackay  owns 
many  millions,  and  mines  that  will  produce  many 
more,  and  he  would  have  given  them  all  to  save  the 
life  of  his  son.  I  never  knew  a  father  to  be  more 
devoted.  What  a  strange  world  it  is  when  a  young 
man  with  so  much  to  live  for,  and  with  so  many 
opportunities  for  doing  good,  should  be  killed  in  the 
very  beginning  of  his  career  by  a  fall  from  a  horse  ! 

John  W.  Mackay  has  ordered  from  a  Lorraine  ar- 
tist a  full-length  statue  of  Joan  of  Arc,  to  be  given 
to  the  Province  of  Meurthe-et-Moselle,  France.  It 
will  be  erected,  probably,  in  the  chief  square  of  St. 
Nicholas-du-Port,  where  Joan  of  Arc  came,  in  1429, 
to  beg  the  aid  of  the  patron  of  Lorraine.  In  doing 
this  Mr.  Mackay  is  carrying  out  a  promise  made  by 
his  son. 

Speaking  of  statues,  I  am  reminded  that  in   the 


266  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

Cathedral  at  Peterborough,  England,  a  tablet  has  re- 
cently been  raised  to  the  memory  of  Mary,  Queen 
of  Scots,  at  a  cost  of  one  thousand  pounds,  paid  for 
entirely  by  contributions  from  Englishwomen  named 
Mary.  The  body  of  the  Scottish  queen  was  interred 
in  the  Peterborough  cathedral,  but  was  removed  to 
Westminster  Abbey  in  1612. 

I  am  reminded  that  while  on  a  visit  at  Glendale, 
Ohio,  a  few  years  ago,  the  wife  of  Hon.  James  M. 
Marvin  of  Saratoga,  whose  maiden  name  was  Miss 
Rhoby  Barnum,  entered  into  rest.  A  lady  of  com- 
manding presence,  she  drew  around  her  all  that  is 
worth  living  for  in  this  brief  existence. 

"  The  changeless  orbit  of  her  faithful  life  was  love. 
Her  God,  her  husband,  and  her  home  in  love  she  served, 
True  to  her  sphere  her  own  exalting  womanhood 
She  ne'er  from  woman's  holiest,  loftiest  duty  swerved." 

I  offer  this  simple  tribute  to  the  memory  of  as  noble 
a  woman  as  ever  lived. 

Miss  Kate  Batcheller,  daughter  of  the  Hon.  George 
S.  Batcheller,  entertained,  this  season,  Miss  Grace 
Davis,  daughter  of  Senator  H.  C.  Davis,  of  West 
Virginia.  Miss  Davis  is  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Stephen  B. 
Elkins.  Miss  Batcheller  has  also  as  guests  at  her 
beautiful  residence  on  Circular  Street,  the  Misses 
Baldwin,  of  Detroit,  daughters  of  the  late  ex-Gov- 
ernor Baldwin  of  Michigan.  The  family  were  for- 
mer guests  at  the  States  when  the  Governor  was 
living.  His  family  then  consisted  of  himself,  Mrs. 
Baldwin,  and  three  daughters.  I  cannot  omit  to 
mention  that  Miss  Batcheller  brought  the  Misses 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  267 


Baldwin  into  the  hotel,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Walter 
Bliss,  and  did  me  the  honor  of  specially  calling  on 
me. 

Mrs.  Judge  Batcheller,  who  was  a  Miss  Cook,  of 
Saratoga,  daughter  of  Hon.  James  M.  Cook,  has 
been  known  to  me  since  she  was  but  a  school-girl. 
I  also  knew  her  father  and  mother,  who  were  distin- 
guished types  of  the  best  product  of  American 
citizens. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Batcheller  have  a  pleasant  home  en- 
livened by  the  charms  of  true  domestic  life,  and  it 
is  with  pleasurable  emotions,  therefore,  the  family 
come  back  to  the  scenes  of  early  life  and  to  their 
dear  old  home  after  performing  the  duties  of  official 
life  abroad  for  so  many  years. 

Comparatively  few  men  move  along  the  current  of 
life  so  serenely  or  with  so  little  ostentation  as  Judge 
Batcheller.  He  is  modest  in  his  deportment,  true  in 
his  friendship.  His  private  and  public  career  has 
been  characterized  by  sterling  integrity,  high  honor 
and  unfailing  fidelity  to  the  important  trusts  com- 
mitted to  his  care.  Still  higher  emoluments  will 
doubtless  come  to  him  to  crown  a  life  already  so 
strongly  marked  by  faithful  public  service  to  the 
State,  the  Nation,  and  to  the  political  party  of  which 
he  is  a  consistent,  loyal  member. 

Welcome,  thrice  welcome  "  Home  !  " 

It  is  some  time  since  the  Donnells  were  here. 
The  family  consisted  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ezekiel  J. 
Donnell  and  their  charming  daughter  Florence,  and 
they  were  always  welcome  acquisitions  to  our  elite 
social  circles  over  in  Cottage  Row.  The  last  time 


268  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


they  came  to  the  States,  in  a  conversation  with 
Mrs.  Donnell,  that  lady  informed  me  that  the  fam- 
ily spent  a  great  portion  of  their  time  in  France, 
and  that  her  own  health  was  particularly  good  when 
there.  Mr.  Donnell  is  a  man  of  finely  knit  frame, 
about  the  medium  height,  and  walks  with  a  light, 
springy  step.  He  is  delightful  in  conversation,  a 
deep  student,  and  is  one  of  the  very  best  known 
men  in  the  cotton  trade  in  the  country.  His  His- 
tory of  Cotton,  an  exhaustive  treatise  on  cotton- 
growing  and  the  cotton  businesses  an  acknowledged 
authority.  He  has  written  several  books  on  eco- 
nomic subjects.  His  wife  was  Miss  Lydia  Moore, 
of  Pennsylvania.  Miss  Florence  is  their  only  child, 
and  when  at  the  Spa  the  young  lady  was  a  lover  of 
horseback  riding,  and  could  be  seen  almost  daily 
seated  on  her  handsome  Kentucky  thoroughbred, 
perfectly  at  home  in  the  saddle.  She  attracted  un- 
usual attention,  and  her  riding  was  easy  and  graceful. 

Mr.  Henry  Preston,  of  New  Orleans,  and  his  wife, 
with  his  father-in-law,  Mr.  Stauffer,  occupied  Parlor 
1 1,  at  the  United  States,  in  July.  Mr.  George  Preston, 
uncle  of  Henry,  resides  in  New  York. 

Judge  and  Mrs.  Andrews  were  not  here  this  sea- 
son, neither  were  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lindley  Hoffman 
Chapin.  Mrs.  Chapin  is  the  daughter  of  the  present 
wife  of  Judge  George  P.  Andrews,  and  was  Miss 
Cornelia  Van  Aukcn,  and  now  the  second  wife  of 
Mr.  Chapin.  Mr.  Chapin  is  well  known  in  society 
as  a  liberal  entertainer,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Calu- 
met, Racquet,  and  Tuxedo  Clubs.  He  is  the  son 
of  Abel  D.  and  Julia  I.  Chapin.  His  grandfather, 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  269 

Chester  W.  Chapin,  was  for  years  the  president  of 
the  Boston  and  Albany  Railroad. 

Mrs.  Chapin  is  exceedingly  pretty,  resembling  her 
mother  and  sister,  Mrs.  Tremenheere,  whom  I  con- 
sider beautiful,  not  only  in  face  and  figure,  but  in 
their  generosity  and  kindness,  being  courteous  to 
all  and  brimful  of  sweet  charity. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.  F.  Horwitz  and  their  daughter, 
from  Baltimore,  arrived  at  the  United  States  Hotel 
the  middle  of  September,  1895.  Miss  Adele  Hor- 
witz is  a  charming  brunette  of  the  Latin  type,  with 
red  cheeks,  expressive,  soulful,  dark-brown  eyes, 
chestnut-brown  hair,  and  a  smile  which  irradiates 
her  whole  countenance.  Miss  Adele  and  her  mother 
are  very  prominent  in  society  and  are  nearly  always 
together,  here,  there,  and  everywhere. 

Mr.  Horwitz  is  a  typical  high-born  Southern  man  ; 
he  is  in  every  sense  a  gentleman.  He  has  dignity, 
but  it  is  the  dignity  of  brains  and  character  and 
good-breeding.  He  puts  on  no  airs.  His  heart  is 
easily  touched.  Highly  cultivated,  charming  in  con- 
versation, and  I  found  him  exceedingly  friendly. 

Mrs.  Horwitz  is  a  lady  of  queenly  presence  and 
gracious  manner.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Doctor 
Gross,  of  Philadelphia.  Mrs.  Horwitz  told  me  that 
the  family  had  not  visited  Saratoga  for  fourteen 
years,  so  it  seems  superfluous  to  add  that  the  com- 
ing of  this  fine  Baltimore  family  has  been  to  us  a 
delightful  and  appreciated  surprise. 

Among  the  prominent  September  guests  whose 
signatures  appeared  annually  on  the  States  register, 
was  the  Hon.  David  Dudley  P"ield. 


270  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

Mr.  Field  was  a  member  of  a  famous  and  long- 
lived  family,  and  was  the  eldest  son.  His  brother 
Stephen  Johnson,  who  was  born  in  1816,  is  a  Justice 
of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  and  his 
nephew,  Justice  Brewer,  sits  on  the  same  bench  with 
him.  Henry  Martyn  was  born  in  1822,  is  a  very 
popular  author,  editor  of  the  Evangelist,  and  his 
stories  of  his  travels  in  Europe  have  made  him  fa- 
mous all  over  the  world. 

His  brother,  Cyrus  W.,  who  died  July  12,  1892, 
deserves  more  than  a  passing  notice.  He  was  the 
successful  projector  of  a  telegraph  cable  across  the 
Atlantic  Ocean,  and  on  its  completion  in  1866,  when 
communication  was  established  between  the  two 
continents,  he  received  from  Congress  a  gold  medal 
and  the  thanks  of  the  nation,  while  the  Prime  Min- 
ister of  England  declared  that  only  the  fact  that  he 
was  a  citizen  of  another  country  prevented  his  re- 
ceiving high  honors  from  the  British  government. 
He  was  also  instrumental  in  developing  the  elevated 
railroads  in  New  York  City. 

Matthew  D.,  a  civil  engineer  of  note,  but  who  has 
been  dead  some  years,  was  another  brother. 

When  Mr.  Field  returned  from  his  trip  to  Europe, 
and  was  met  at  the  dock  by  some  of  his  friends,  he 
said  in  answer  to  questions :  "  My  object  in  going 
abroad  was  to  take  Christmas  dinner  with  my  only 
child,  Lady  Musgrave,  and  to  attend  the  twenty-first 
birthday  celebration  of  her  eldest  son,  Dudley  Field 
Musgrave.  My  daughter  is  the  widow  of  Sir  An- 
thony Musgrave,  who  was  Governor  of  Queensland, 
Australia,  when  he  died.  She  is  living  at  East  Grin- 
stead,  in  Sussex,  about  twenty  miles  from  London. 


HON.    BENJAMIN   F.   TRACY. 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  271 


She  has  three  sons.  The  eldest,  who  is  in  the  British 
Navy,  has  gone  with  his  ship  to  Bombay.  The  sec- 
ond son,  Arthur,  is  captain  of  a  battery  at  Shrews- 
buryness,  and  the  youngest,  Herbert,  was  educated 
at  Harrow,  and  has  just  entered  the  military  school 
at  Woolwich,  standing  second  among  four  hundred 
applicants.  They  are  all  splendid  young  fellows, 
and  every  one  of  them  is  six  feet  tall." 

After  spending  six  weeks  with  his  daughter  Mr. 
Field  went  to  Paris,  Nice,  Monte  Carlo,  Genoa, 
Naples,  Rome,  and  Florence ;  and  in  Rome,  on 
February  13,  his  eighty-ninth  birthday  was  cele- 
brated by  a  luncheon  in  his  honor  given  by  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Terry. 

Mr.  Field  has  been  three  times  married.  His  first 
wife  was  Jane  L.  Hopkins,  to  whom  he  was  wedded 
in  1829.  They  had  three  children — Dudley  Field, 
born  November  28,  1830;  Jeanie  Lucinda,  October 
9,  1833,  and  Isabella,  April  3,  1835.  Mrs.  Field  died 
in  Stockbridge  in  1836. 

Mr.  Field  married  his  second  wife  in  1841.  She 
was  Mrs.  Harriet  Davidson,  and  died  in  1864.  He 
married  again,  in  1866,  Mrs.  Mary  Elizabeth  Carr, 
the  widow  of  Dr.  S.  J.  Carr.  She  died  in  1876. 

I  would  say  in  this  connection,  that  Miss  Jeanie 
Field,  at  present  Lady  Musgrave,  was  one  of  the 
young  ladies  selected  to  dance  as  a  partner  of  His 
Royal  Highness,  the  Prince  of  Wales,  at  the  great 
ball  given  in  the  Academy  of  Music,  in  the  City  of 
New  York,  in  1860.  The  writer  of  the  foregoing 
was  a  member  of  Mr.  Field's  household,  Gramercy 
Park,  at  the  time. 

Among  the  most  popular  and   agreeable  of  the 


272  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


summer  guests  that  have  graced  this  garden  spot  of 
ancient  elms  and  mineral  waters  with  their  presence 
season  after  season,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  S.  U.  Cadwell,  of 
New  York,  easily  head  the  list  by  all  odds. 

Mrs.  Cadwell  is  one  of  the  loveliest  of  women,  al- 
ways becomingly  gowned,  with  exquisite  taste  ;  her 
amiable  and  striking  bearing  is  the  fitting  acme  to 
her  personal  and  social  charms ;  she  is  a  lady  to  her 
finger  tips.  The  young  people,  for  whom  she  is  ever 
sure  to  have  a  pleasant  word  and  friendly  smile,  are 
completely  captivated  whenever  they  come  in  con- 
tact with  her,  and  she  loves  nothing  in  the  world  so 
much  as  to  be  surrounded  by  the  younger  set,  in 
which  she  takes  an  affectionate  interest,  and  give 
them  all  the  fun  and  pleasure  possible.  Her  hos- 
pitality in  her  home  is  marked,  her  superb  manners, 
and  bright,  cheerful  disposition  are  features  that 
make  her  home  attractive  to  anyone  fortunate 
enough  to  be  entertained  there. 

And  what  might  be  written  of  her  kindness  of 
heart  and  good  deeds,  is  legion,  her  stanch  fidelity 
to  her  friends  is  almost  proverbial ;  she  is  the  light 
and  life  of  every  social  gathering  among  her  ac- 
quaintances in  Saratoga,  and  a  person  would  hardly 
imagine  from  her  appearance  that  she  was  the 
mother  of  Mrs.  Elder,  who  has  a  sweet,  chubby  boy, 
the  idol  of  his  grandmamma. 

I  often  wonder  what  has  become  of  the  type  of 
white-haired,  white-capped,  sweet-faced  dame  whom 
we  treasure  in  our  memory  as  either  our  own  or 
some  other  favored  mortal's  grandmother.  Search 
for  her  as  we  will,  she  is  not  to  be  found.  The 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  273 


grandmother  of  to-day  is  a  well-dressed,  middle-aged 
woman  who  would  prefer  that  her  children's  chil- 
dren call  her  "Auntie"  than  give  her  the  rightful 
appellation  that  implies  a  greater  weight  of  years. 
The  active,  stylish  woman  of  fifty  is  quite  as  wrap- 
ped up  in  the  toddlers  who  lisp  "grandma"  as  was 
her  more  picturesque  prototype.  Are  these  youth- 
ful grandmothers  due  to  the  fact  that  girls  are  mar- 
ried earlier  ?  Whatever  the  cause  I  cannot  help 
feeling  sorry  for  the  children  who  will  never  possess 
memories  of  such  grandmothers  as  marked  the  old 
time. 

Of  Mr.  Cadwell  I  might  say  that  he  is  a  man  of 
few  words,  a  sterling,  robust  type  of  the  old  school, 
a  whole-souled,  genial  gentleman,  well  liked  by  all  his 
friends,  an  upright,  model  citizen,  beyond  reproach 
in  his  relations  of  husband  and  father. 

I  am  reminded  just  here  of  a  conversation  that 
I  had  with  Mr.  S.  U.  Cadwell,  the  day  after  the 
reception  of  Judge  George  S.  Batcheller,  formerly 
presiding  Justice  of  the  International  Tribunal  in 
Cairo,  Egypt,  given  in  honor  of  Lord  Russell,  of 
Killowen,  Lord  Chief  Justice  of  England.  Mr. 
Cadwell  being  a  guest  at  the  reception  told  me  that 
on  being  introduced  to  his  Lordship  that  gentleman 
at  once  told  him  that  he  had  met  him  before,  which 
had  occurred  on  his  previous  visit  to  this  country 
with  his  predecessor,  Lord  Coleridge,  in  1883. 

The  reception  spoken  of  was  given  by  Judge 
Batcheller  for  the  purpose  of  affording  an  oppor- 
tunity for  Lord  Russell  to  meet  the  members  of 

the  American  Bar  Association,  delegates  and  legal 
17 


274  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


gentlemen  then  convened  in  Saratoga,  and  which 
took  place  in  the  month  of  August,  1896.  Sir 
Francis  Lockvvood,  Q.  C.,  M.  P.,  Montague  Crack- 
enthorpe,  Q.  C.,  and  James  Fox,  B.  L.,  of  Lord 
Russell's  party  were  also  present.  Although  the 
affair  was  strictly  of  a  judicial  nature  Lady  Russell, 
Lady  Lockwood,  Miss  Russell,  Miss  Lockwood  and 
Mrs.  J.  W.  Foster,  the  latter  the  guest  of  Mrs.  Bat- 
cheller,  were  present,  also  Miss  Kate  Batcheller. 

The  writer  was  engaged  by  Judge  Batcheller  for 
the  evening  of  the  reception  to  act  as  Master  of 
Ceremonies,  that  is  to  say,  to  announce  the  name 
of  each  guest  to  the  host,  who  in  turn  would  intro- 
duce the  person  to  Lord  Russell ;  but  the  crowd 
of  legal  gentlemen  became  so  great  as  the  evening 
advanced  that  part  of  the  programme  was  not  lived 
up  to.  The  guests  were  received  in  the  drawing- 
room  by  Lord  Russell  and  Judge  Batcheller,  but 
about  eleven  o'clock,  the  host  temporarily  being 
absent,  the  noble  Lord  made  his  way  to  the  hall 
near  where  I  was  stationed,  and  all  who  came  in 
after  that  time  it  devolved  on  me  personally  to 
escort  to  the  presence  of  Lord  Russell  and  intro- 
duce them  myself  to  the  honored  guest  of  the  even- 
ing. The  very  first  one  introduced  was  a  member 
of  the  Bar  Association  from  the  State  of  Kentucky. 

Among  those  present  were  ex-Secretary  of  State 
John  W.  Foster,  ex-Minister  Edward  J.  Phelps, 
Attorney  General  Harmon,  and  many  others. 

Mrs.  George  W.  Holland  has  travelled  extensively 
in  this  and  other  countries,  and  she  has  attained  an 
astonishing  familiarity  with  the  different  places  she 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  275 

has  visited.  Her  memory  is  extremely  retentive 
and  her  descriptive  powers  fascinating,  so  she  can 
interest  one  by  the  hour,  recounting  what  she  has 
seen  and  experienced.  She  is  particularly  a  past 
mistress  in  describing  the  scenes  of  the  Holy  Land, 
as  every  word  she  utters  seems  to  come  directly 
from  the  well-filled  storehouse  of  her  mind,  and  the 
listener  is  impressed  with  the  idea  that  she  has 
made  of  the  subject  a  life  study. 

Mrs.  Holland  is  a  woman  who  is  beloved  by  all 
who  know  her,  a  womanly  woman,  just  the  sort 
that  nature  intended  should  be  the  wife  of  George 
W.  Holland,  who  always  accompanies  her  on  her 
trips. 

Mr.  Holland  is  an  estimable,  agreeable  gentleman 
in  the  prime  of  life,  who  wears  a  happy,  contented 
smile,  a  fitting  companion  of  his  cultured  wife,  and 
both  are  always  welcome  guests  at  the  United  States 
Hotel. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  I  should  say  in  this  connec- 
tion that,  during  Mrs.  Holland's  recent  visit  to  Sara- 
toga, when  about  to  say  to  me  "  au  revoir,"  this  kind 
lady  placed  in  my  hand  a  couple  of  polished  wooden 
lids,  tied  with  red  ribbon,  which  were  made  of  olive 
wood  from  the  Mount  of  Olives,  in  Jerusalem.  On 
one  of  the  lids  is  inscribed  the  name  Jerusalem  and 
on  the  other  is  carved  a  Greek  cross  composed  of 
four  smaller  crosses.  Mrs.  Holland  told  me  that  she 
stood  by  and  saw  them  made;  they  are  intended  for 
covers  of  a  medium-sized  prayer-book.  I  accepted 
this  souvenir  with  many  thanks,  and  it  will  constitute 
one  of  the  most  pleasant  memories  of  the  season 


276  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


just  ended,  and  be  always  prized  highly  not  only  for 
the  great  distance  and  historic  land  from  whence  it 
came,  but  as  a  gift  from  the  fair  hand  of  so  fine  a 
lady  and  so  valued  a  friend. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  D.  Sidney  Appleton  of  West  38th 
Street,  New  York  City,  with  little  Miss  Georgia  and 
Master  Daniel,  their  daughter  and  son,  are  frequent 
guests  at  the  Spa.  Mrs.  Appleton  is  very  attrac- 
tive and  refined  to  a  remarkable  degree,  with  all 
the  charm  of  a  sweet  and  tender  nature,  yet  is  appa- 
rently unconscious  of  that  air  of  high  breeding  which 
is  so  distinctive  a  mark  of  the  Southern  maiden  of 
good  family  and  lineage.  These  qualities  so  pro- 
minent in  Mrs.  Appleton  are  not  less  engaging  than 
is  her  fine  figure  and  her  handsome  and  aristocratic 
face. 

Mr.  Appleton  and  his  wife  are  very  fond  of  a  spin 
on  their  bikes  and  can  be  seen  any  fine  day  enjoying 
the  bracing  mountain  air  of  good  old  Saratoga.  And 
no  lovelier  children  ever  came  to  us  than  the  two 
dear  little  tots  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  D.  S.  Appleton. 

Then  there  is  Whitehead,  called  "  Whitey,"  it  is 
she  who  has  the  entire  care  of  Georgia  and  Danny, 
and  who  seems  proud  of  her  precious  charges.  I 
most  cheerfully  add  that  Miss  Whitehead  is  the  right 
person  in  the  right  place. 

In  glancing  through  the  list  of  deaths  during  the 
year  1895,  I  find  that  of  Mrs.  John  L.  Perry,  of  Sara- 
toga, which  occurred  February  ipth.  Her  gentle 
and  tender  nature  bore  the  imprint  of  all  the  virtues 
that  so  eminently  adorn  the  life  and  character  of 
a  Christian  woman.  Truly  it  may  be  said  of  her  : 


Important  Incidents  Recalled.  277 

"  The  earth  is  all  the  sweeter  that  she  lived 
And  death  is  all  the  fairer  that  she  died, 
And  Heaven  is  all  the  brighter  that  she  's  there." 

Evenings,  after  the  band  has  ceased  to  play  sweet 
music,  and  the  guests  begin  to  depart  and  move 
toward  the  elevator  to  go  up  to  their  rooms,  I  am 
often  accosted  with  these  simple  words,  "  good  night," 
which  frequently  reminds  me  of  the  pretty  lines  I  here 
insert : 

"  Sleep  sweetly  in  thy  quiet  room,  oh  thou  my  friend, 
And  let  no  mournful  yesterdays  disturb  thy  peaceful 

rest  ; 

Nor  shall  to-morrow  pain  thy  heart 
With  dreams  of  coming  ill, 
Thy  Maker  is  thy  changeless  friend, 
His  love  surrounds  thee  still. 
Forget  thyself  and  all  the  world, 
Put  out  each  fading  light  ; 
The  stars  are  watching  overhead — 
Sleep  sweetly,  then — Good-night." 


CHAPTER  XII. 

PERSONAL  REMINISCENCES   OF  NOTABLE   MEN  WHO 
HAVE   VISITED   SARATOGA. 

IN  connection  with  this  chapter,  I  add  a  few  char- 
acter sketches  of  men  prominent  in  the  in- 
tellectual and  financial  world.  Who  has  not  heard 
of  Mr.  Joseph  Pulitzer,  the  brilliant  proprietary 
editor  of  the  New  York  World?  He  was  a  frequent 
guest,  together  with  his  family,  at  Saratoga  up  to 
the  time  when  his  eyes  began  to  trouble  him  so 
much.  And  yet  there  are  many  things  which  escape 
the  public  eye  which  are  most  to  the  credit  and 
honor  of  such  a  man,  while  abuse  finds  a  ready 
circulation  and  quick  credence.  Here  are  two  or 
three  acts  especially,  which  ought  to  stand  out  before 
the  whole  world,  and  it  is  all  the  more  significant 
that  I  can  insert  them  as  tributes  from  his  brothers 
of  the  Press  : 

"  A  very  graceful,  generous  and  patriotic  act  was  that 
of  the  Hon.  Joseph  Pulitzer  in  presenting  to  the  city  of 
Paris,  in  the  name  of  the  American  people,  a  monumental 
bronze  group  representing  Washington  and  Lafayette. 

278 


Personal  Reminiscences  of  Notable  Men.       279 

The  memorial  was  designed  and  wrought  by  Bartholdi, 
and  is  a  recognition  of  the  moral  debt  which  this  nation 
owes  for  the  stately  figure  of  Liberty,  the  work  of  the 
same  sculptor,  which  adorns  New  York  Bay  and  consti- 
tutes one  of  the  signal  attractions  of  the  metropolis. 

"  The  gift  of  Mr.  Pulitzer  will  do  something  more  than 
perpetuate  the  memory  of  two  immortal  figures.  It  will 
cement  still  more  closely  the  bonds  of  friendship  which 
have  existed  between  the  people  of  the  United  States 
and  France.  If  this  friendship  was  important  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  years  ago,  when  the  United  States  con- 
sisted of  a  handful  of  colonies  battling  for  freedom,  and 
France  was  a  despotic  monarchy,  it  is  still  more  im- 
portant to-day  when  the  United  States  and  France  stand 
for  the  highest  types  of  republican  government  in  their 
respective  hemispheres.  Never  before  did  these  coun- 
tries have  more  in  common  than  they  have  now,  and  the 
thoughtful  generosity  of  Mr.  Pulitzer,  which  cannot  fail 
to  heighten  the  mutual  good  will  between  them,  is  a 
public  spirited  act  which  deserves  to  be  warmly  ac- 
knowledged, i 

"  Mr.  Pulitzer's  institution  of  ten  college  scholarships 
for  as  many  graduates  of  the  grammar  schools  of  the 
city,  is  one  of  those  few  beneficences  of  which  the  highest 
imaginable  good  may  be  predicted.  When  we  speak 
thus  we  have  in  mind  the  fact  that  one  of  the  works 
which  really  adorn  American  literature  would  probably 
never  have  been  written  had  it  not  been  for  the  fact  that 
the  City  of  New  York  had  provided  a  free  college  for 
the  education  of  its  author  in  the  days  of  his  youth.  We 
will  not  hazard  a  guess  as  to  how  many  poets,  scholars, 
and  philosophers  Mr.  Pulitzer's  ten  scholarships  will 
develop,  but  there  are  sure  to  be  some.  If  there  is  even 
one  in  the  front  rank  of  any  one  of  the  higher  profes- 


280  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

sions,  the  institution  of  these  scholarships  will  be  more 
than  justified." 

At  a  banquet  given  in  New  York  City  in  celebra- 
tion of  the  Centennial  of  the  Jay  treaty,  Gen.  Charles 
H.  Taylor,  of  Boston,  a  distinguished  journalist, 
spoke  as  follows  of  some  other  prominent  newspaper 
men: 

"  With  the  advent  of  the  newspaper  in  the  early  'thirties, 
came  James  Gordon  Bennett,  who  was  in  many  respects 
the  ablest  all-round  journalist  this  country  has  ever  seen. 
Bennett  built  a  newspaper  which  has  stood  for  more  than 
sixty  years,  and  is  to-day  one  of  the  great  newspaper 
properties  of  the  world.  He  was  fortunate,  of  course, 
in  leaving  a  son,  the  present  James  Gordon  Bennett,  a 
man  of  marked  ability,  who  has  conducted  the  Neiu 
York  Herald  with  such  energy  and  fidelity  to  the  original 
plan  that  he  has  broadened  and  strengthened  what  I 
consider  the  finest  inheritance  any  young  man  has  ever 
received  in  this  country. 

"  Horace  Greeley  was  a  picturesque  figure  in  the  jour- 
nalism of  this  country  for  many  years.  I  think  he  was 
the  climax  of  the  old-fashioned  editor.  Honest  and 
fearless  and  outspoken  ;  his  fights  for  what  he  believed 
to  be  right  were  at  times  positively  heroic.  He  made 
mistakes,  as  men  of  strong  parts  do,  but  as  he  himself 
once  said,  he  had  made  a  great  many  mistakes  in  his 
life  but  they  were  usually  new  mistakes. 

"  The  Tribune,  which  Horace  Greeley  founded,  is  now 
conducted  most  successfully  by  one  of  the  most  graceful 
men  in  our  profession — Whitelaw  Reid,  a  man  who  had 
made  a  magnificent  record  as  a  correspondent  before  he 
became  the  proprietor  of  a  great  paper. 


Personal  Reminiscences  of  Notable  Men.       281 


"  American  journalism  has  been  the  field  of  the  highest 
literary  talents,  such  as  William  Cullen  Bryant's,  and  of 
the  keenest  business  acumen,  but  perhaps  only  one  jour- 
nalist in  our  history  has  been  blessed  with  the  endow- 
ments which  have  enabled  him  to  bridge  the  vast  gap 
between  letters  and  trade.  Simple  candor  must  yield 
this  tribute  to  Charles  A.  Dana,  that  he  is  a  literary  man 
among  literary  men  and  a  newspaper  man  among  news- 
paper men.  His  labors  outside  of  journalism  assure 
him  a  high  rank  among  scholars,  and  this  rank  is  secured 
rather  than  lowered  by  his  conduct  of  a  great  newspaper, 
which  is  at  once  successful  in  its  business  operations  and 
a  national  model  of  literary  style." 

If  we  go  from  the  Newspaper  world  to  that  of 
Finance,  what  name  equals  that  of  Jay  Gould,  the 
Napoleon  of  the  empire  of  Money?  And  let  me 
begin  at  once  by  quoting  words  that  cheerfully  re- 
cognize the  generous  impulses  of  his  nature.  Ex- 
Governor  St.  John,  of  Kansas,  wrote  as  follows  : 

"  In  the  midst  of  all  that  is  being  said  and  published 
against  Jay  Gould,  please  allow  me  space  to  say  that  in 
1880  when  settlers  in  western  Kansas  were  penniless  and 
threatened  with  starvation,  I  wrote  to  this  much-abused 
man  about  it.  He  promptly  sent  me  $5,000,  which  was 
invested  in  bread  and  meat  for  their  relief." 

The  same  testimony  could  be  given  in  numberless 
instances,  such  as  that  which  stands  to  his  credit  at 
the  time  of  the  yellow  fever  scourge  in  Memphis. 

It  is  pleasant  to  recall  in  this  connection  the  fact 
that  Cardinal  Newman's  magnificent  hymn  was  the 


282  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

sweetest  music  in  the  world  to  Jay  Gould.  And 
when  at  the  funeral  service  the  sweet  voices  sang : 

"  Lead,  kindly  Light,  amid  the  encircling  gloom 

Lead  thou  me  on  ; 

The  night  is  dark  and  I  am  far  from  home, 
Lead  thou  me  on  " — 

it  seems  to  me  that  all  malice  must  have  melted 
away  in  the  mellow  and  profound  sentiment  of 
Christian  song.  And  best  of  all,  as  an  object-lesson 
to  American  home-life  among  rich  and  poor,  was 
Mr.  Gould's  ardent  devotion  to  his  wife. 

Mrs. .  Gould  was,  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  a 
helpmate  to  her  husband.  She  took  a  wifely  pride 
in  all  his  successes  ;  but  no  accessions  to  the  gigantic 
fortune  that  Mr.  Gould  succeeded  in  building  up 
caused  the  lady  to  deviate  a  hair's  breadth  from  the 
unostentatious  refinement  of  her  home  surroundings. 

o 

Mrs.  Gould  was  never  a  leader  in  what  is  called 
"  Society."  Fashionable  assemblages  were  distaste- 
ful to  her  retiring  disposition.  Her  inclinations 
made  her  a  devotee  to  her  family,  and  she  was  not 
only  a  prudent  and  fond  wife  but  a  most  excellent 
and  careful  mother.  Of  her  sons  Mrs.  Gould  always 
took  great  pride  in  her  first-born,  George. 

Jay  Gould's  devoted  attention  to  his  wife  during 
her  long  illness  was  much  spoken  of  by  those  who 
were  aware  of  the  circumstances.  He  was  ever  by 
her  bedside,  ever  watchful  of  her  symptoms,  ever 
anxious  to  do  anything  in  his  power  for  her  relief 
by  night  or  day.  A  more  sympathetic  husband,  it 
has  been  said,  could  not  be  found,  and  the  signs  ol 


JAY  GOULD. 


Personal  Reminiscences  of  Notable  Men.       283 


his  grief  were  constantly  visible  in  his  face,  gait,  and 
manner. 

The  impression  among  financiers  is  that  Mr.  George 
Gould  will  justify  his  father's  confidence.  Certainly 
he  and  his  brothers  are  to  be  numbered  among  the 
greatest  powers  in  the  financial  world.  And  Jay 
Gould  made  a  master-stroke  when  he  left  his  son 
George  in  a  position  where  he  is  really  the  autocrat 
of  the  combined  wealth  of  the  family. 

Helen  Gould,  the  eldest  daughter,  was  the  pet  of 
the  family  and  her  father's  great  favorite.  By  her 
friends  Miss  Gould  is  spoken  of  as  one  of  the  most 
charitable  girls  in  New  York.  Friday  of  each  week 
she  usually  devotes  to  visiting  some  charitable  in- 
stitution, carrying  with  her  articles  of  food,  flowers, 
and  books.  She  has  been  a  deep  student  of  the 
problem  of  philanthropy,  and  has  the  means  to 
realize  her  ideas. 

Closely  associated  with  Jay  Gould  in  our  thought 
stands  his  famous  family  physician,  Dr.  J.  P.  Munn, 
who  was  retained  by  the  millionaire  at  a  munifi- 
cent salary.  And  it  is  said  Doctor  Munn  was 
even  made  director  in  the  Western  Union  and  the 
Missouri  Pacific,  so  that  he  could  be  in  the  same 
room  with  his  distinguished  patient  at  all  directors' 
meetings.  Dr.  Munn  is  persona  grata  to  all  the 
family,  and  he  will  now  have  five  patients  instead  of 
one. 

Dr.  Munn  has  a  charming  little  daughter  aged 
about  eight.  She  was  in  attendance  at  a  children's 
fair  when  some  money  was  given  her,  and  she  quietly 
replied:  "  Please  give  it  to  my  maid."  "  Why,  don't 


284  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


you  take  money  yourself  ?  "  she  was  asked.  "  No, 
Madam,  my  papa  has  told  me  never  to  touch  bills 
until  he  tells  me  to.  He  says  that  there  may  be 
some  bacteria  in  them  after  they  have  been  handled, 
and  I  am  not  to  touch  paper  money  at  all."  Truly, 
Dr.  Munn  is  a  physician  in  his  own  household  ! 

Senator  Arthur  P.  Gorman,  of  Maryland,  comes  to 
the  States  every  season  ;  and  during  1895,  of  which 
I  write,  the  Senator  was  accompanied  by  his  son. 
And  while  wre  may  not  pause  for  many  words,  we 
would  say  to  him  with  the  poet  : 

"  To  those  who  know  thee  not,  no  words  can  paint, 
And  those  who  know  thee,  know  all  words  are  faint." 

The  following  anecdote  concerning  the  Senator  is 
not  inappropriate  just  here  : 

"  Last  week  Mr.  Compton  came  over  here  to  meet  Mr. 
Gorman.  Arriving  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  he  was 
told  that  Mr.  Gorman  might  be  in  the  dining-room.  He 
went  to  the  door  and  asked  the  hat  man  if  Senator 
Gorman  was  inside.  'Yes,  sir,'  said  the  man.  'He  is 
sitting  over  there  with  a  big  fat  man.  I  am  not  quite 
sure  whether  it  is  Mr.  Cleveland  or  ex-Speaker  Reed.' 
Mr.  Compton  entered,  and  finding  Mr.  Gorman  and  Mr. 
Reed  sitting  together,  he  related  the  incident.  '  Don't 
tell  Cleveland  that,'  said  Mr.  Reed  quickly.  '  He  is 
spoiled  now,  and  there  will  be  no  living  with  him  if  he 
hears  that  I  have  been  mistaken  for  him.  Keep  it  dark, 
Compton,  by  all  means.'  " 

Mrs.  Ida  Meyer  and  her  daughter  Irma,  of  70 
West  54th  Street,  New  York,  have  joined  the  Sara- 


Personal  Reminiscences  of  Notable  Men.       285 


toga  cottage  colony  this  season.  I  desire  to  state 
that  Mrs.  Meyer  was  among  the  first  of  our  hotel 
guests  who  insisted  that  I  should  write  my  reminis- 
cences of  Saratoga  life.  Her  daughter,  who  always 
accompanied  her  mother,  was  at  that  time  a  mere 
child,  but  she  too  was  quite  enthusiastic  at  the  idea 
of  such  a  book  being  written,  and  by  me ;  so  this 
season  the  young  lady,  Miss  Irma,  came  into  the 
hotel  and  inquired  immediately  how  far  the  book 
had  advanced.  Miss  Irma  Meyer  is  truly  a  lovely 
girl,  a  brunette  of  decided  beauty,  and  has  a  dispo- 
sition and  manner  that  have  won  her  many  admiring 
friends. 

But  no  name  is  more  conspicuous  before  the  pub- 
lic than  that  of  Chauncey  M.  Depevv,  familiarly 
called  "  our  Chauncey."  If  he  never  becomes  Presi- 
dent, all  agree  that  no  candidate  for  the  Presidency 
could  have  a  more  eloquent  champion  than  he.  I 
select  from  his  many  utterances  the  following  trib- 
ute to  women,  which  forms  a  part  of  his  address  at 
the  dedication  of  the  Russell  Sage  Memorial  Hall 
in  Troy,  commemorating  the  life  work  of  Emma 
Willard  : 

"  Every  country  and  every  period  must  be  judged  by 
its  treatment  of  women.  By  this  standard  the  measure 
of  praise  for  the  past  is  very  limited.  The  centuries 
and  the  countries  where  woman  was  a  toy  were  distin- 
guished for  Paganism  and  immorality  ;  the  centuries 
and  the  countries  where  woman  was  a  slave  or  sub- 
ordinate to  man  were  characterized  by  ignorance  and 
brutality.  It  is  the  mother,  with  her  culture  or  with 
the  lack  of  it,  who  makes  the  family  and  marks  the 


286  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

state.  It  is  a  lamentable  fact  that  it  requires  two  thou- 
sand years  from  Calvary  to  enforce  the  truths  there 
taught  of  equal  opportunity  for  the  sexes.  It  is  less 
than  one  hundred  years  since  higher  education  for 
women  was  possible. 

"  The  most  interesting  book  which  could  be  issued 
from  our  press  would  be  one  which  detailed  the  results 
of  higher  education  for  women  in  the  last  quarter  of  a 
century.  It  has  opened  for  them  opportunities  for  a 
livelihood  beyond  the  dreams  of  the  past.  It  has 
emancipated  them  from  the  needle,  with  its  conditions 
of  slavery  and  pauperism.  It  has  given  them  number- 
less fields  where  brains  and  training  receive  their  reward. 
Not  only  has  the  community  been  relieved  from  dangers, 
not  only  has  the  State  been  saved  from  burdens,  not 
only  has  the  world  had  its  distress  enormously  allevi- 
ated, but  industry  and  art  and  invention  have  been 
stimulated  and  quickened  by  woman's  touch  and  genius. 
Journalism  and  literature  have  been  broadened  and 
vivified  by  the  efforts  of  the  alumnae  of  these  great 
institutions.  The  American  home  has  found  in  educated 
woman  a  more  attractive  wife  and  a  mother  who  is  also 
a  teacher." 

In  an  interview  with  a  newspaper  correspondent, 
afterward,  he  said  : 

"  I  had  a  funny  experience  myself.  In  the  course  of 
my  talk  I  referred  to  the  fact  that  I  had  been  made  an 
honorary  member  of  the  graduating  class  in  one  of  our 
large  women's  colleges  in  1890.  To  show  that  the 
higher  education  of  women  did  not  destroy  romance,  I 
read  the  following  letter,  which  I  afterward  received 
from  a  member  of  that  class  while  on  her  bridal  tour. 
It  read  : 


Personal  Reminiscences  of  Notable  Men.       287 


; '  Dear  Classmate  :  The  last  time  I  saw  you  we  stud- 
ied an  eclipse  of  the  moon  together,  and  discussed  theo- 
retically and  scientifically  that  phenomenon.  I  write  to 
tell  you  that  I  am  so  full  of  happiness  that  I  can  only 
attest  that  a  honeymoon  eclipses  all  other  kinds  of 
moons.' 

"  At  the  reception  which  followed  I  found  a  number 
of  young  women  waiting  for  me.  They  said  :  '  Mr. 
Depew,  did  you  really  get  that  letter,  or  did  you  invent 
it  ? '  .1  said  that  I  thought  it  was  good  enough  to  be 
true,  and  my  only  advice  to  them  was  to  go  and  do  like- 
wise." 

When  we  recall  so  noble  a  tribute,  it  increases  our 
sadness  to  know  that  Mrs.  Depew  was  taken  from 
him  by  the  hand  of  death.  Mrs.  Depew  came  from 
one  of  the  oldest  New  York  families,  and  while  every 
opportunity  was  open  to  her  to  become  conspicuous 
in  society,  she  found  her  greatest  comfort  in  the 
duties  of  home  and  the  tender  ministrations  of 
philanthropy. 

Chauncey  M.  Depew  was  deeply  touched  by  the 
fact  that  Archbishop  Corrigan  revealed  his  friend- 
ship so  strikingly  as  to  attend  the  funeral  of  Mrs. 
Depew  in  St.  Bartholomew's  Church.  It  is  the 
first  time  that  the  Archbishop  has  been  in  a  Protes- 
tant church  when  any  religious  office  was  being 
conducted  there.  His  relations  with  Mr.  Depew 
have  been  for  years  seemingly  close,  and  on  many 
public  and  political  questions  they  have  been  in 
perfect  accord,  although  the  Archbishop  has  always 
been  careful  not  to  make  a  display  of  his  political 


288  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

opinions,  excepting  as  a  patriot  and  an  American 
might  do. 

In  1864  Mr.  Henry  Bergh,  one  of  our  guests,  began 
to  clear  the  way  for  his  famous  Society ;  and,  in 
1865,  the  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to 
Animals  became  a  humane  fact  to  all  the  brute 
creation.  Mr.  Bergh  gave  most  of  his  time  to  the 
interests  of  the  Society  ;  and  he  made  it  the  model 
of  similar  societies  in  the  thirty-seven  States  of  the 
Union. 

Col.  Elliot  F.  Shepard  was  a  man  of  many  com- 
mendable qualities.  Staunch  and  loyal  in  his  friend- 
ships, he  was  always  ready  to  do  a  service  for  those 
who  had  won  his  regard.  He  was  the  soul  of  hos- 
pitality. Especially  was  he  the  helper  of  young 
men,  to  many  of  whom  he  extended  generous  and 
effective  aid  and  so  gave  them  such  a  start  in  life 
as  led  to  success  and  prosperity.  The  beautiful 
memorial  church  at  Scarborough  is  a  well-deserved 
tribute  to  a  man  who  leaves  a  large  space  in  the 
heart  of  mankind. 

I  would  refer  here  to  the  death  of  Worth,  the 
monarch  of  the  dress-making  world  ;  would  add 
something  about  the  wonderful  mausoleum  of  the 
Morosini  family  in  Woodlawn  Cemetery,  which  now 
holds  one  silent  tenant,  the  beloved  wife  of  Banker 
Giovanni  R.  Morosini ;  but  I  must  hasten  to  the  end 
of  this  long  chapter. 

I  cannot  omit,  however,  the  following  reference 
to  Minister  Eustis,  our  esteemed  and  distinguished 
Ambassador  to  France,  who  was  so  recently  bereaved 
by  the  sudden  removal  from  the  circle  of  the  home 


Personal  Reminiscences  of  Notable  Men.       289 

and  of  social  influence,  of  a  wife,  mother,  and  friend 
so  eminently  qualified  by  her  character  and  accom- 
plishments to  grace  and  dignify  the  representative 
and  exalted  position  which  she  held  in  France. 

By  the  way,  the  powers  and  functions  of  an  Am- 
bassador are  not  higher  than  those  of  a  Minister,  or 
different  from  them.  The  difference  is  merely  one 
of  name  and  rank  of  precedence  on  State  and  social 
occasions  where  official  etiquette  is  observed.  In 
this  respect  the  representatives  of  the  United  States 
in  London  and  Paris,  will  now  rank  with  those  of 
the  leading  powers  of  the  world. 

Mr.  Eustis  is  a  man  of  great  ability,  and  is  not 
at  all  a  typical  gentleman  of  the  Southern  school. 
He  is  not  a  provincial,  like  the  average  Southern 
statesman,  but  is  a  man  of  the  world,  familiar  with 
club  life  and  with  polite  society  in  the  old  world 
and  the  new.  He  is  an  aristocrat  to  the  ends  of  his 
finger  tips,  and  is  a  perfect  master  of  the  art  of 
doing  nothing.  He  has  the  oriental  complexion, 
he  is  a  dark  olive,  of  a  tint  which  approaches  the 
complexion  of  a  Spaniard  of  southern  Spain.  A 
correspondent  writes  of  him  : 

"  His  eyes  are  black,  his  features  are  regular,  while 
the  lower  part  of  his  face  is  hidden  by  an  iron-gray  mus- 
tache and  beard.  Thick,  wavy  iron-gray  hair  falls  over 
liis  broad  forehead.  He  has  a  deep,  musical  voice,  an 
easy  manner,  and  an  air  of  profound  indifference  to 
everything  on  this  earth.  But  this  is  only  a  mask,  for 
when  the  sluggish  nature  of  this  oriental  type  of  Ameri- 
can citizen  is  once  aroused  he  is  fiery,  and  has  a  vocabu- 
lary of  sarcastic  phraseology  excelled  by  few." 


290  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

Death  was  very  busy  during  1895,  and  the  follow- 
ing notice  appeared  August  1st : 

"  It  will  be  a  shock  to  those  who  saw  Simon  Wormser, 
the  younger  of  the  two  famous  Wormser  brothers,  in  Wall 
street  yesterday,  to  hear  that  he  died  of  apoplexy  in  the 
street  at  9.45  last  night  ;  for  he  spent  yesterday,  as  he 
has  spent  all  his  working  days,  in  the  rush  of  the  great 
business  he  and  his  brother  have  built  up.  He  was 
seventy  years  old  last  Christmas  Day,  but  he  was  per- 
fectly sound,  and  hardly  knew  what  illness  meant. 

"  The  worst  enemy  the  Wormsers  have  made  in  their 
Wall  Street  fights  would  have  softened  toward  Isidor 
could  he  have  seen  him  then.  The  living  brother  bent 
over  the  dead  brother,  and  the  two  heads  which  have 
planned  and  toiled,  with  never  a  break  or  a  quarrel  for 
over  half  a  century,  were  close  together. 

"  '  Oh,  my  brother,  my  brother  Simon,'  said  Isidor,  the 
tears  raining  out  of  his  eyes  and  his  body  shaking  and 
quivering  so  that  his  supporters  could  hardly  hold  him 
up.  He  said  these  words  over  and  over  again  with  ter- 
rible cries  of  grief,  and  he  would  have  cast  himself  upon 
the  body  of  this  dead  brother,  who  was  the  only  friend 
he  had  ever  had,  and  as  close  a  friend  as  ever  man  had, 
but  they  drew  him  away. 

"  In  many  ways  the  Wormser  brothers  were  noted  for 
eccentricities.  They  were  careful  not  to  ride  on  the 
same  elevated  train,  lest  accident  should  kill  them  both 
at  the  same  time.  Yet,  I  imagine,  if  one  who  knew  them 
well  were  to  be  asked  what  was  their  chief  distinguish- 
ment,  he  would  reply  :  '  Not  the  fact  that  they  started 
very  poor,  and  became  phenomenally  rich  and  wound  up 
in  a  magnificent  banking  house  in  Wall  Street  ;  not  that 
they  were  methodical  to  the  last  cent,  and  fraction  of  a 


•  -. 


SIMON  WORMSER. 


Personal  Reminiscences  of  Notable  Men.       291 

cent,  although  dealing  in  many  millions  every  year  ;  not 
that  they  did  not  ride  together  in  a  railroad  train,  but 
did  in  a  hansom  or  a  victoria,  every  day  in  Central  Park  ; 
but  that  they  supremely  illustrated,  in  their  daily  walk 
and  conversation,  a  fraternal  regard,  a  brotherly  love,  as 
beautiful  to  witness  as  it  is  rare  to  find.  I  have  often 
thought,  when  hearing  men  criticize  the  methods  of  this 
great  firm,  that,  after  all,  this  one  touch  of  holy  human 
nature  which  irradiated  their  lives  and  made  possible 
their  united  forces,  was  too  pure  a  plant  to  have  root  in 
unkempt  soil.'  " 

Simon  Wormser  had  four  sons,  Maurice  S.,  Alexan- 
der, Jr.,  Isidor,  Jr.,  and  Louis.  His  wife  died  about 
fifteen  years  ago.  It  is  a  rather  singular  fact  that 
his  children  were  all  sons,  while  Isidor's  were  daugh- 
ters. 

The  death  of  Mrs.  W.  W.  Astor  occurred  Decem- 
ber 22,  1894.  The  Pall  Mall  Gazette,  in  an  appre- 
ciative article  on  the  sad  event,  says : 

"  For  months  Mrs.  Astor's  health  has  been  the  cause 
of  great  anxiety  to  her  friends,  though  last  summer  she 
was  strong  enough  to  welcome  and  entertain  the  whole 
staff  of  the  Pall  Mall  Gazette,  at  Cliveden.  Whether  in 
her  New  York  home,  doing  the  honors  of  the  American 
legation  in  Rome,  or  entertaining  in  her  English  houses, 
she  won  affection  from  all  sides.  Durand's  beautiful 
picture  of  her  looked  out  as  a  friend  upon  the  hundreds 
of  those  who  saw  it.  To  very  many  in  America,  France, 
Italy,  and  England,  her  loss  will  bring  sadness.  To 
ourselves  it  will  cause  deep  and  enduring  sympathy  and 
sorrow." 


292  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

Although  a  great  number  of  wreaths  had  been  re- 
ceived at  Cliveden,  not  a  single  one  of  them  accom- 
panied the  coffin.  As  the  solitary  funeral  car,  with 
one  lamp  lighted,  slowly  traversed  the  dark  avenue, 
Mr.  Astor  stood  in  the  doorway  alone  and  watched 
it  until  the  light  of  the  lamp  faded  from  his  view. 

Although  the  eldest  son  of  the  head  of  the  house 
of  Astor,  William  Waldorf  cared  little  for  society. 
He  belonged  to  a  score  of  clubs,  but  seldom  visited 
them,  and  on  one  of  his  earliest  trips  to  London,  be- 
fore his  marriage,  he  showed  himself  to  be  a  remark- 
able young  man  by  spending  most  of  his  time  in  the 
British  Museum  and  other  places  of  historical  and 
literary  research. 

Indeed,  the  distinguishing  characteristic  of  the 
fourth  head  of  the  Astor  family  was  his  fondness  for 
books  and  literature.  Born  in  New  York  City, 
March  31,  1848,  from  early  boyhood  he  evinced 
literary  tastes,  and  was  given  all  possible  opportuni- 
ties and  advantages  for  a  complete  education.  Even 
in  his  father's  house,  where  he  had  able  tutors,  he 
was  a  careful  and  conscientious  student,  as  well  as  in 
Columbia  College,  where  he  was  highly  esteemed  by 
his  instructors  and  fellow-students  alike. 

One  of  the  beautiful  things  to  be  recorded  is  the 
friendship  of  two  noble  men  like  George  Washing- 
ton Childs  and  Anthony  J.  Drexel.  The  friendship 
between  the  two  men  was  closer  than  that  of  brothers. 
Every  joy  and  sorrow,  every  success  and  failure  was 
shared  between  them.  Every  noon  they  dined  to- 
gether for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century.  The 
following  tribute  to  the  character  of  Mr.  Drexel  is 


Personal  Reminiscences  of  Notable  Men.       293 


an  equal  honor  to  Mr.  Childs,  who  wrote  the  words 
about  his  friend  : — 

"  No  one  has  ever  spoken  ill  of  Anthony  J.  Drexel  and 
he  spoke  no  ill  word  of  any  one.  He  did  not  drive  sharp 
bargains  ;  he  did  not  profit  by  the  needs  of  others  ;  he 
did  not  expect  from  those  in  his  employ  hard  tasks  and 
give  them  an  inadequate  wage.  He  was  in  active  busi- 
ness a  lenient,  liberal  creditor,  a  generous  employer,  con- 
siderate of,  sympathetic  with  every  one  who  worked  with 
and  for  him. 

"  My  dear  friend,  companion,  and  partner  of  so  many 
years  was  a  man  of  singular  modesty  ;  one  who  feared 
and  shunned  praise  more  than  blame.  His  manners 
were  finely  courteous,  manly,  gentle,  and  refined.  His 
mind  was  as  pure  as  a  child's,  and  during  all  the  years 
of  our  close  companionship  I  never  knew  him  to  speak 
a  word  that  he  might  not  have  freely  spoken  in  the 
presence  of  his  children.  His  religion  was  as  deep  as 
his  nature,  and  rested  upon  the  enduring  foundations  of 
faith,  hope,  and  charity.  Love  of  his  fellow-men  was 
that  quality  which  best  denoted  this  noble  Christian 
gentleman. 

"  His  life  was  a  sentient  example  of  noble  thought 
and  endeavor  ;  and  with  regard  to  him,  whom  I  loved 
so  long  and  well,  whose  friendship  I  so  greatly  prized, 
whose  nobility  of  character  I  so  honored,  and  whose 
memory  I  shall  always  revere,  he  suggests  to  me  the  fine 
portrait  of  one  which  another  dear  friend  of  mine,  the 
late  George  William  Curtis,  sketched  many  years  ago. 
'I  think,'  said  Mr.  Curtis,  '  that  to  have  known  one 
such  good  man,  one  man  who  through  all  the  chances 
and  rubs  of  a  long  life  has  carried  his  heart  in  his  hand, 
helps  our  faith  in  God,  in  ourselves,  and  in  each  other 
more  than  many  sermons.'  " 


294  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

One  of  the  noblest  names  that  I  can  place  in  this 
book  is  that  of  George  W.  Childs.  More  truthfully 
of  him  than  of  most  men  it  may  be  said  that  the 
world  was  better  for  his  living  in  it,  and  that  the 
good  which  he  was  as  well  as  which  he  did  will  live 
after  him. 

There  are  several  lessons  in  the  life  of  Mr.  Childs 
which  make  it  a  peculiarly  profitable  study  for  the 
young  men  of  America.  He  was  a  successful  man 
in  every  sense  of  the  word.  He  was  rich,  his  social 
position  was  the  highest,  and  his  fame  was  spread 
among  the  nations.  He  was  one  of  the  uncrowned 
kings. 

Perhaps  the  most  impressive  lesson  of  his  life  is 
that  it  is  possible  to  become  rich  without  any  of  the 
shady  schemes  and  tricky  devices  that  are  so  apt  to 
taint  the  acquisition  of  wealth,  and  without  the  sor- 
did greed  that  so  often  accompanies  it. 

Another  ennobling  lesson  of  his  life  is  that  a  man 
may  become  great  and  honored  through  simple 
goodness.  Still  another  lesson,  and  not  the  least 
useful,  is  that  happiness  is  to  be  sought,  not  with 
fanfare  of  trumpets,  but  in  quiet  ways.  Dr.  Johnson 
once  said  there  are  two  ways  of  becoming  rich — one 
by  increasing  your  possessions,  the  other  by  limiting 
your  desires.  This  penetrating  truth  seems  to  have 
been  grasped  early  and  firmly  by  Mr.  Childs. 

The  year  1895  was  rich  with  great  weddings,  the 
marriage  of  American  girls  to  foreigners  of  high  office 
or  noble  blood  having  their  full  share.  In  April, 
Hon.  George  Nathaniel  Curzon,  M.  P.,  and  Miss 
Mary  Leiter  were  married  in  St.  John's  Episcopal 


Personal  Reminiscences  of  Notable  Men.       295 

Church,  Washington,  D.  C.,  in  the  presence  of  such 
a  distinguished  assemblage  of  cabinet  officers,  diplo- 
mats, governors  and  bishops,  as  to  give  the  event 
the  character  of  a  public  ceremony.  Mr.  Curzon  is 
a  Conservative  member  of  the  House  of  Commons, 
formerly  Under  Secretary  for  India  under  the  Salis- 
bury Ministry,  and  the  successor  to  his  father's  title 
of  Baron  Scarsdale,  while  Miss  Leiter  has  been 
counted  among  the  beauties  of  the  national  capital 
and  is  a  typical  American  girl.  The  great  wealth  of 
the  Leiters  has  made  their  establishment  and  its 
foreign  guests  a  centre  of  interest  for  several  days. 

Long  before  the  hour  for  the  ceremony  a  curious 
crowd  surrounded  St.  John's  Church,  which  is  on 
Lafayette  Square,  immediately  fronting  the  White 
House.  Admission  to  the  little  edifice  was  restricted 
to  those  holding  cards.  A  large  force  of  mounted 
and  unmounted  policemen  were  on  duty  outside  the 
church,  but  it  was  with  difficulty  that  the  great 
crowd  could  be  held  in  check.  There  was  such  a 
rush  when  the  carriages  of  Mrs.  Cleveland  and  the 
bride  arrived,  that  women  screamed  and  fainted,  and 
for  a  time  there  threatened  to  be  a  panic. 

The  interior  of  the  church  was  literally  trans- 
formed into  a  garden  for  the  occasion.  The  chancel 
was  a  vision  of  flowers,  plants  and  palms  rising  to 
and  almost  enveloping  the  pulpit  and  altar ;  while 
from  the  side  walls,  chandeliers,  and  choir  gallery 
hung  profuse  clusters  of  cut  flowers,  orange  blossoms, 
smilax,  and  trailing  vines.  The  church  was  filled  to 
its  utmost  capacity.  The  ushers  were  Joseph  Leiter, 
brother  of  the  bride,  and  Frank  Curzon,  brother  of 


296  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

the  groom.  Mrs.  Cleveland  sat  near  the  Leiter  fam- 
ily. The  President  did  not  appear,  as  it  is  an  un- 
written law  that  the  Executive  does  not  attend 
private  social  events.  The  members  of  the  cabinet 
and  their  wives  came  separately,  and  mingled  with 
the  other  guests,  not  preserving  their  collective 
cabinet  character  of  official  occasions. 

Bishop  Talbot  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  Mackay-Smith 
officiated.  The  bride,  in  white  satin  and  rare  white 
lace,  and  carrying  a  cluster  of  white  orchids,  entered 
the  church  leaning  on  the  arm  of  her  father.  The 
bridesmaids,  Misses  Nannie  and  Daisy  Leiter,  sisters 
of  the  bride,  wore  pink  tulle  gowns,  with  large  pink 
mull  hats,  and  carried  large  bouquets  of  pink  roses. 
The  bridegroom  and  Mrs.  Leiter,  Sir  James  Miller 
and  Lady  Miller,  and  Lord  Lamington,  the  groom's 
best  man,  Joseph  Leiter,  and  Frank  Curzon  made  up 
the  rest  of  the  party.  The  impressive  marriage  ser- 
vice of  the  Episcopal  Church  was  performed,  accom- 
panied by  the  chants  of  the  surpliced  choir.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Curzon  received  congratulations  as  the 
wedding  party  withdrew  to  the  Leiter  residence, 
where  they  were  joined  later  by  relatives  and  inti- 
mate friends  for  the  wedding  breakfast. 

The  guests  at  the  wedding  breakfast  were :  from 
Washington,  Mrs.  Cleveland,  the  Secretary  of  War 
and  Mrs.  Lamont,  the  Attorney-General  and  Mrs. 
Olney,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  and  Miss  Herbert, 
the  Secretary  of  Agriculture  and  Miss  Morton,  Sir 
Julian  and  Lady  Pauncefote,  the  German  and  French 
Ambassadors,  the  Belgian  Minister,  Senator  and  Mrs. 
Cameron,  Senator  and  Mrs.  Brice,  Chief-Justice  and 


Personal  Reminiscences  of  Notable  Men.       297 


Mrs.  Fuller,  Justice  and  Mrs.  Harlan,  Justice  and 
Mrs.  Gray,  Justice  and  Mrs.  White,  Justice  and  Mrs. 
Brown,  Senator  and  Mrs.  Lodge,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John 
Hay,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gardiner  G.  Hubbard,  Professor 
and  Mrs.  Newcomb,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  W.  Rockhill, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Theodore  Roosevelt,  Mrs.  Henry 
Adams,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brooks  Adams,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Blair  Lee,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  Townsend,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
John  R.  McLean,  Mrs.  James  G.  Elaine,  Mrs.  Har- 
rison Garrett,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  D.  Sloane,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  J.  M.  W.  Jones,  Senator  and  Mrs.  McPherson, 
Senator  and  Miss  Gray,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Watts  Sher- 
man, Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  L.  Bradley,  Colonel  and  Mrs. 
William  Goddard,  Mrs.  Mafar  Walker,  the  Misses 
Skinner,  Miss  Snow,  John  Carter  Brown. 

From  New  York,  Bishop  and  Mrs.  Henry  C.  Pot- 
ter, Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lloyd  Brice,  E.  R.  Robinson, 
Miss  Robinson,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  Newbold,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  C.  Oliver  Iselin,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Lanier, 
Miss  Lockwood,  Miss  Wilson,  Mrs.  Warren,  Mrs.j 
Baldwin,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Buchanan  Winthrop,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  F.  W.  Vanderbilt,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  Burden. 

The  Whitney-Paget  wedding  was  still  more  notable, 
perhaps.  The  doors  of  St.  Thomas's  were  opened 
at  10.30  o'clock,  and  at  that  time  there  were  a  score 
of  the  looo  guests  invited  waiting  under  the  canopy, 
for  the  musical  programme  that  had  been  arranged 
was  of  the  sort  that  no  one  cares  to  miss, — the  sing- 
ing of  such  artists  as  Nordica  and  De  Reszke,  the 
music  crowned  by  the  great  genius  of  Franko. 

The  ushers — Henry  Payne  Whitney  (the  bride's 
brother),  Winthrop  Rutherford,  John  C.  Furman, 


298  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


William  Cutting,  Jr.,  H.  Maitland  Kersey,  and  Jared 
Howe  and  Crawford  Livingston,  of  St.  Paul — were 
kept  busy  leading  to  their  places  those  fortunate 
enough  to  know  one  of  the  sweetest,  brightest,  and 
prettiest  girls  in  all  America,  and  a  man,  who,  with 
generations  of  good  English  blood  and  rank  behind 
him,  chose  to  come  to  this  country  eight  years  ago 
and  make  his  fortune  for  himself. 

When  the  last  notes  of  the  "  Ave  Maria  "  died 
away  and  the  nervous  hush  that  awaits  the  arrival 
of  the  bride  made  itself  felt,  there  were  noted  in  the 
church,  President  Cleveland,  Secretary  and  Mrs.  La- 
mont,  Secretary  Herbert,  Secretary  and  Mrs.  Olney, 
Sir  Julian  Pauncefote,  Lord  Westm&ath,  Lady  Cole- 
brook,  Chauncey  M.  Depew,  Mrs.  Astor,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  John  Jacob  Astor,  Governor  and  Mrs.  Morton, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  August  Belmont,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C. 
Oliver  Iselin,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  De  Lancey  Kane, 
Mavroyeni  Bey,  Miss  Alice  Paget,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W. 
D.  Sloane,  Colonel  and  Mrs.  S.  V.  R.  Cruger,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Orme  Wilson,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cornelius 
Vanderbilt,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  M.  Waterbury,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Frederic  Coudert,  Colonel  and  Mrs.  George 
B.  McClellan,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frederic  Gebhard,  George 
Vanderbilt,  R.  T.  Wilson,  Jr.,  Mrs.  Herman  Oelrichs, 
Sir  Roderick  Cameron,  Mrs.  Henry  Clews,  and  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  George  H.  Bend. 

Ex-Secretary  Whitney  was  evidently  in  good 
spirits  and  happy  as  he  walked  to  the  altar  with 
his  daughter,  and  gave  her  to  the  husband  of  her 
choice  ;  and  if  a  shade  of  sadness  was  noticed  in  his 
face  as  he  passed  out  of  the  church,  it  was  no  doubt 


Personal  Reminiscences  of  Notable  Men.      299 

caused  by  a  passing  thought  of  the  mother  of  the 
bride,  the  leader  of  New  York  society  for  so  many 
years,  to  whom  the  marriage  would  have  been  the 
happiest  occasion  of  her  brilliant  and  happy  wedded 
life. 

But  the  climax  of  all  social  events  for  the  year 
1895  came  on  November  6th.  In  that  brown-stone 
edifice  at  Fifth  Avenue  and  53d  Street  upon  which 
fashion  has  set  her  stamp,  took  place  at  the  hour 
named,  the  wedding  of  the  present  representative  of 
the  House  of  Marlborough,  the  third  Dukedom  in 
England,  and  Miss  Consuelo  Vanderbilt,  the  fair 
representative  of  one  of  the  richest  families,  not  only 
of  America,  but  of  the  world. 

When  "  Marlborough,  the  prince  of  commanders, 
went  to  the  war  in  Flanders,"  and  there  laid  the 
foundation  not  only  of  his  fame  and  fortune,  but  of 
a  house  destined  to  become  historic,  he  little  dreamed 
that  after  the  lapse  of  a  century  his  descendant  would 
make  another  conquest  in  "  lands  across  the  seas," 
which  would  not  only  enable  him  to  perpetuate  the 
glories  and  restore  somewhat  of  the  prestige  of  a 
house  which  had  suffered  from  evil  fortune  and 
squandered  wealth,  but  also  again  make  the  name 
of  Marlborough  a  household  word. 

So  notable  a  marriage,  of  necessity,  has  aroused 
widespread  interest  and  curiosity,  and  for  weeks  past 
not  only  the  American  but  the  English  public  have 
been  discussing  and  anticipating  every  detail  of  the 
event.  The  preliminaries  which  culminated  in  the 
ceremony  and  ceremonials  are  familiar  to  all.  The 
marriage  is  generally  believed  to  have  been  first 


300  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


thought  of  by  an  American  woman,  who  herself, 
only  a  few  years  ago,  married  the  father  of  the  pres- 
ent bridegroom,  and  became  the  Duchess  of  Marl- 
borough. 

In  connection  with  all  this  splendor,  how  beautiful 
if  only  they  can  forever  say,  husband  to  wife,  wife 
to  husband, 

"  Forget  me  not,  for  would  I  not 

Most  willingly  and  true 
Entwine  a  garland  of  bright  gems 

For  you  and  only  you  ? 
Forget  me  not,  for  I  am  thine 

Whate'er  thy  lot  shall  be 
Forget  me  not,  in  course  of  time 

Forget,  forget  not  me." 

And  let  the  American  reader  observe  with  pleas- 
ure that  the  marriage  of  our  girls  to  titled  noblemen 
has  come  out  very  creditably.  On  no  occasion  have 
our  American  brides  failed  to  uphold  the  virtue, 
honor,  and  dignity  of  American  womanhood. 

In  this  connection  how  happily  comes  to  mind  the 
case  of  Mrs.  Gordon-Gumming.  Here  is  a  brave 
Scotch  nobleman  sacrificed  to  loyalty  toward  his 
sovereign  ;  but  his  redemption  comes  through  the 
unflinching  and  almost  sublime  devotion  of  a  noble 
and  loving  girl.  I  applaud  her  as  a  heroine,  and 
glory  in  the  fact  that  she  is  an  American. 

When  Sir  William  and  his  American  bride  arrived 
at  his  home,  and  alighted  from  the  train,  they  found 
the  station  filled  and  surrounded  by  thousands  of 
people.  On  the  platform  were  the  members  of  the 


WHITE   HOUSE. 


Personal  Reminiscences  of  Notable  Men.      301 


Council  in  their  official  robes,  with  the  Lord  Mayor 
at  their  head  to  meet  them. 

She  writes,  "  I  am  charmed  with  my  new  home, 
and  touched  by  the  popular  affection  shown  my  hus- 
band on  his  arrival  here."  His  brother  telegraphed 
from  Maryland,  "  I  thank  God  that  my  brother 
has  found  a  woman  who  is  willing  to  stick  to  him 
through  his  trouble,  and  I  am  indeed  proud  that  she 
is  an  American  girl." 

At  St.  Bartholomew's  Church,  New  York  City,  on 
the  afternoon  of  November  2ist,  occurred  the  wed- 
ding of  Miss  Elsie  Stillman  and  Mr.  William  G. 
Rockefeller.  The  bride  is  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  James  Stillman  ;  and  the  bridegroom  is  a  son 
of  William  G.  Rockefeller,  and  nephew  of  John  D. 
Rockefeller,  whose  daughter,  Miss  Edith,  is  soon  to 
be  married  to  Harold  McCormick. 

The  prevailing  colors  of  the  wedding  were  pink 
and  white,  and  the  chancel  was  decorated  with  pink 
and  white  chrysanthemums.  Bishop  Henry  C.  Potter, 
assisted  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  David  S.  Greer,  officiated. 
The  bridesmaids  were  Miss  Isabella  Stillman,  a  sister 
of  the  bride,  Miss  Emma  Rockefeller,  sister  of  the 
bridegroom,  Miss  Caroline  L.  Morgan,  Miss  Annie 
T.  Morgan,  Miss  Edna  Barger,  and  Miss  Edith 
Knowlton.  They  were  dressed  in  costumes  made 
in  the  mode  of  Louis  Seize. 

The  bride's  dress  was  of  white  satin,  trimmed  on 
the  corsage  with  point-lace  appliqu6.  She  wore  a 
a  tulle  veil,  edged  with  a  deep  border  of  point  lace, 
which  was  fastened  by  a  diamond  crescent.  She 
carried  a  prayer  book  instead  of  a  bouquet. 


302  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


The  bridegroom's  best  man  was  his  brother,  Percy 
Rockefeller.  The  ushers  were  Messrs.  John  D. 
Rockefeller,  Jr.,  D.  Hunter  McAlpin,  Walter  N.  Bliss, 
Richard  Van  Wyck,  O.  Y.  Jenning,  James  A.  Still- 
man,  Jr.,  and  V.  Evert  Macy. 

A  large  reception  followed  at  the  home  of  the 
bride's  parents.  Mrs.  William  G.  Rockefeller,  ne'e 
Stillman,  was  the  recipient  of  many  magnificent 
bridal  gifts.  The  diamond  tiara  and  necklace  given 
by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Rockefeller  were  of  this 
description,  as  were  other  diamond  ornaments  pre- 
sented. This  wedding  will  no  doubt  lead  to  the 
settlement  of  another  multi-millionaire  family  at 
Newport.  The  Stillmans  are  identified  with  the  New- 
port cottage  summer  set,  and  the  bride  will  doubtless 
desire  her  own  cottage  at  the  place  later  on. 

A  correspondent  writes  just  prior  to  the  marriage 
of  Miss  Edith  Rockefeller  as  follows : 

"  The  Misses  Alta  and  Edith  Rockefeller,  daughters 
of  John  D.  Rockefeller,  are  doubtless  heiresses  to  more 
millions  than  any  other  young  women  in  the  world. 
They  are  pretty  and  exceedingly  attractive  girls,  have 
been  brought  up  to  have  every  wish  gratified,  and  have 
lived  in  one  of  the  most  magnificent  homes  in  this  city, 
and  yet,  strange  to  say,  they  have  never  displayed  the 
least  taste  for  society. 

"  Two  sweet  and  lovely  Christian  girls,  they  devote 
most  of  their  time  to  charitable  work,  preferring  the 
quiet  home  life  to  the  everlasting  round  of  social  pleasures 
which  people  of  wealth  usually  indulge  in.  In  fact, 
they  are  so  marked  an  exception  as  to  win  the  praise 
and  admiration  of  all  the  world. 


Personal  Reminiscences  of  Notable  Men.      303 


"  What  is  the  wonderful  influence  which  has  kept  the 
Misses  Rockefeller  from  becoming  social  devotees  is  a 
question  often  asked.  Those  who  are  acquainted  with 
the  family  say  it  is  the  precept  and  example  of  their 
mother,  who  looks  upon  life  as  something  too  real  and 
too  earnest  to  be  wasted,  and  who  has  in  her  quiet 
womanly  way  led  all  her  children  to  think  as  she  does." 

Miss  Edith,  youngest  daughter  of  John  D.  Rocke- 
feller, was  married  at  noon  on  November  26th,  in 
the  Buckingham  Hotel,  to  Mr.  Harold  F.  McCormick, 
son  of  Cyrus  McCormick,  the  well-known  "  Reaper 
King  "  of  Chicago.  The  marriage  was  to  have  been 
solemnized  in  the  Fifth  Avenue  Baptist  Church,  and 
elaborate  preparations  had  been  made  at  the  church 
in  the  way  of  floral  decorations  ;  but,  on  account  of 
the  illness  of  Mr.  McCormick,  the  ceremony  took 
place  at  the  Buckingham  Hotel  instead. 

The  wedding  ceremony  was  quite  brief,  beginning 
at  12.05  ar>d  being  concluded  at  12.20.  The  Rev. 
Dr.  Paunce  officiated,  assisted  by  Dr.  Hall.  The 
wedding  party  remained  in  the  hotel  some  time. 
Later  they  were  driven  to  the  Rockefeller  mansion 
on  Fifty-fourth  Street  near  Fifth  avenue.  Accord- 
ing to  the  principles  of  the  bride's  parents,  there 
were  no  spirituous  liquors  served  at  the  wedding 
feast.  The  presents  received  were  not  displayed. 
Among  the  most  elegant  was  a  pearl  necklace  pre- 
sented to  her  by  her  parents,  costing  a  fabulous  sum. 

The  unfortunate  and  unexpected  illness  of  Mr. 
McCormick  cast  considerable  gloom  over  the  wed- 
ding party,  and,  instead  of  smiles  and  congratula- 
tions, there  were  hardly  more  than  sympathetic 


304  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


exchanges  of  expressions.  It  was  purely  an  Ameri- 
can wedding,  in  contradistinction  to  the  Marlborough- 
Vanderbilt  and  Paget- Whitney  marriages,  where  both 
the  grooms  were  Englishmen. 

It  was  at  Christmas  time  a  few  years  ago  that  Mr. 
McCormick  met  his  bride,  an  attractive  young  woman 
who  takes  great  interest  in  athletic  sports,  and  is 
accomplished  in  swimming,  skating,  riding,  and 
driving.  He  was  then  a  student  at  Yale,  and  had 
come  to  New  York  for  the  holidays.  It  was  a  case 
of  love  at  first  sight.  Just  about  this  time  Miss 
Rockefeller  had  made  up  her  mind  to  go  to  Japan 
as  a  missionary  of  the  Baptist  Church,  but  young 
McCormick  quickly  persuaded  her  from  that  deter- 
mination. 

When  the  groom's  health  permits,  he  and  his  bride 
will  sail  for  Egypt  on  their  wedding  tour.  Upon 
their  return  they  will  make  their  home  at  Council 
Bluffs,  Iowa,  where  Mr.  McCormick  will  become  a 
partner  with  his  brothers  in  the  McCormick  Reaper 
Company. 

After  the  experience  of  Miss  Rockefeller  and  Mr> 
Harold  McCormick  in  getting  married,  it  may  be 
said  that  love  nowadays  laughs  at  sickness  as  well 
as  at  locksmiths. 

On  the  2d  of  December,  Mrs.  Frederic  Neilson 
gave  a  large  and  brilliant  reception  to  introduce  to 
society  her  daughter,  Miss  Belle  Neilson. 

Miss  Neilson,  who  is  a  handsome  girl,  has  already 
been  proclaimed  a  belle,  and  is  expected  to  share 
the  honors  with  Miss  Katherine  Duer  this  winter. 
The  spacious  drawing-rooms  of  the  old  Gebhard 


Personal  Reminiscences  of  Notable  Men.      305 

mansion,  No.  100  Fifth  Avenue,  were  thronged  with 
the  representative  set  of  fashionable  New  York 
society.  Mrs.  Neilson  is  a  sister  of  Frederick 
Gebhard. 

The  third  wedding  in  the  Rockefeller  family  within 
a  month,  occurred  on  the  I2th  of  December,  and 
in  point  of  brilliancy  surpassed  the  two  preceding 
events. 

Standing  beneath  a  gorgeous  floral  canopy,  and 
environed  by  a  scene  of  horticultural  splendor,  in  the 
music-room  of  her  father's  country  palace,  Rockwood 
Hall,  Tarrytown-on-the-Hudson,  Miss  Emma  Rocke- 
feller, daughter  of  Mr,  and  Mrs.  William  Rockefeller, 
was  wedded  to  Dr.  D.  Hunter  McAlpin,  Jr.,  son  of 
D.  Hunter  McAlpin  of  New  York  City. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  Armitage,  of  St.  Bartholo- 
mew's Church,  New  York,  assisted  by  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Harris,  of  Yonkers,  performed  the  ceremony. 

The  bridal  gown,  a  rich  ivory  satin,  was  made  in 
princess  fashion,  and  was  resplendent  with  Venetian 
lace.  The  train  was  of  Venetian  lace,  and  fell  away 
in  a  long  sweep.  The  veil  was  long,  almost  cover- 
ing the  train,  and  was  fastened  with  a  tiara  of  dia- 
monds. The  bride  carried  a  large  bouquet  of  white 
rosebuds. 

A  buffet  breakfast  was  served  in  the  main  dining, 
room,  over  400  people  participating. 

Rockwood  Hall  is  three  miles  from  Tarrytown,  and 
is  in  the  Renaissance  chateau  style,  with  cloisters  of 
stone.  It  is  second  only  in  splendor  to  Biltmore, 
the  North  Carolina  country-seat  of  George  W. 
Vanderbilt. 


306  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


Miss  Rockefeller  will  have  a  large  dowry  ;  and 
among  other  gifts  from  her  father,  it  is  said,  will  be 
one  of  a  country  residence,  to  be  built  in  the  immedi- 
ate locality  of  Rockvvood  Hall.  • 

The  following  list  will  perhaps  be  quite  a  revela- 
tion to  some  of  my  readers,  showing  as  it  does  the 
great  number  of  American  women  who  have  married 
titled  foreigners  within  the  past  twenty-five  years  : 

Miss  Ellen  Abbott,  Count  Cerati  di  Calry  ;  Miss 
Florence  Audenreid,  Count  de  la  Forest  Divonne; 
Miss  Isabella  Andrews,  Count  von  Linden  ;  Miss 
Barbey,  Count  de  Pourtales ;  Miss  Mary  Beale, 
Baron  Bahkmetoff ;  Mrs.  Berna,  Count  Oriola ; 
Miss  Berdan,  Baron  Lepeletier  d'Aunay  ;  Miss  Eva 
Broadwood,  Prince  Ruspoli ;  Mrs.  T.  Bispham,  Sir 
W.  L.  Booker;  Miss  Virginia  Bonynge,  Viscount 
Deerhurst ;  Miss  Brewster,  Count  Frankenstein  ;  Miss 
Maud  Burke,  Sir  Bache  Cunard  ;  Miss  Butterfield, 
Count  de  Montauban ;  Miss  Eva  Julia  Bryant 
Mackay,  Prince  Colonna  di  Galatro  ;  Miss  Lina  Cald- 
well,  Baron  von  Zedwitz  ;  Miss  E.  Carroll,  Baron 
de  la  Grange ;  Miss  Carroll,  Count  de  Kergorlay  ; 
Miss  Agnes  Carroll,  Count  Heussenstamm  ;  Miss 
Elizabeth  Carey,  Chevalier  Stuers ;  Miss  Norma 
Christmas,  Marquis  de  Suarez  d'Aulan  ;  Miss  Joseph- 
ine Mary  Curtis,  Prince  Ruspoli ;  Miss  Louise  Cor- 
bin,  Capt.  Walpole,  heir  of  Earl  of  Orford ;  Miss 
Annie  Cutting,  Baron  de  Vriere ;  Miss  Eleanor 
Cuyler,  Sir  Philip  Grey-Egerton  ;  Miss  Claire  Cou- 
dert,  Marquis  de  Choiseul  ;  Miss  Elizabeth  Chizelle, 
Baron  Stillfried ;  Miss  Donohue,  Baron  Schroeder; 
Miss  Flora  Davis,  Lord  Terence  Blackwood  ;  Miss 


Personal  Reminiscences  of  Notable  Men.      307 


Mathilda  Davis,  Duke  of  Sante  Monfeltrio  della 
Revere  ;  Miss  Ehret,  Baron  von  Zedlitz  ;  Miss  Mary 
Endicott,  Right  Hon.  Joseph  Chamberlain  ;  Miss 
Field,  Prince  de  Suzanet ;  Miss  Elizabeth  Hickson 
Field,  Prince  Brancaccio ;  Miss  Jeanie  Lucinda 
Field,  Sir  Anthony  Musgrave ;  Miss  Edith  Fish, 
Hon.  Hugh  Northcote  ;  Miss  Blanche  Fisher,  Count 
James  d'Aramon;  Miss  Louise  Frost,  Hon.  Fred- 
erick William  Vernon ;  Miss  Fry,  Marquis  di  Torri- 
giani ;  Miss  Fisher,  Count  Gherandeschi  ;  Miss 
Forbes,  Duke  of  Choiseul-Praslin  ;  Miss  Louise 
Friedner,  Baron  Vietinghoff ;  Miss  Jane  G.  Frost, 
Sir  Louis  William  Molesworth  ;  Miss  Flagler,  Baron 
Harden  Hickey  ;  Miss  Florence  Garner,  Sir  William 
Gordon-Cumming ;  Miss  Lita  Garner,  Marquis  de 
Breteuil ;  Miss  Estella  Garrison,  Hon.  Charles  Maule 
Ramsay  ;  Mrs.  Herbert  Gallatin,  Count  Auguste  de 
Rohan  Chabet ;  Miss  Maud  Ely  Goddard,  Prince 
Charles  Poniatowski  ;  Miss  Adele  Grant,  Earl  of 
Essex;  Miss  Mary  Gratiot,  Count  de  Montholon  ; 
Miss  Gillender,  Marquis  di  San  Marzano ;  Miss 
Anna  Gould,  Count  Boniface  de  Castellane  ;  Mrs. 
Hammersly,  Duke  of  Marlborough  and  Lord  Wil- 
liam Beresford  ;  Miss  Medora  Marie  Hoffman, 
Marquis  de  Mores ;  Miss  Mary  Hooper,  Marquis 
d'Adda-Salvaterra ;  Miss  Clara  Huntington,  Prince 
Hatzfeldt  ;  Miss  Louise  Hatcher,  Baron  Gomez ; 
Miss  Mary  Heyvvard,  Count  de  Chabot  ;  Miss  Ada 
Hungerford,  Count  Telfener;  Miss  Annie  Hutton, 
Count  Moltke-Hvitfeldt ;  Miss  Fannie  Hutton,  Mar- 
quis di  Porta  ;  Mrs.  J.  P.  Ives,  Sir  William  Vernon 
Harcourt ;  Miss  Jennie  Jerome,  Lord  Randolph- 


308  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


Churchill  ;  Miss  Jay,  Gen.  von  Schweinitz ;  Miss 
Constance  Kinney,  Count  Caesar  Gianotti  ;  Mrs. 
Thomas  Kingsland,  Duke  of  Aldragana;  Miss  Mary 
Livingston  King,  Hon.  Henry  Wodehouse  and 
Marquis  of  Anglesey ;  Miss  May  Knowlton,  Count 
Sierstorpff ;  Miss  Frances  M.  Lawrence,  Lord 
Vernon ;  Miss  Mary  Ledoux,  Marquis  de  Valori ; 
Miss  Mary  Lee,  Prince  Frederick  of  Schleswig- 
Holstein,  and  Gen.  Count  Waldersee  ;  Miss  Mary 
Lewis,  Count  Amadei  ;  Miss  Anita  Ledoux,  Baron 
Brin ;  Miss  Elizabeth  Livingston,  W.  G.  Cavendish- 
Bentinck,  M.P.  ;  Miss  Carola  Livingston,  Count  de 
Laugier-Villars ;  Miss  Mary  Leiter,  Hon.  G.  N. 
Curzon,  M.P. ;  Mrs.  Charles  F.  Livermore,  Baron 
Raymond  de  Seilliere  ;  Mrs.  George  Lorillard,  Count 
de  Casa  de  Agreda ;  Miss  Ella  Luckers,  Count 
Bernstorff;  Miss  Cornelia  Martin,  Earl  of  Craven; 
Miss  McAllister,  Count  Folchi-Vici ;  Miss  Amelie 
McCarthy,  Comte  de  Dion ;  Miss  Meta  McCall, 
Count  de  Belleroche  ;  Miss  Katherine  McVicker, 
Lord  Grantley  ;  Miss  Mattie  Mitchell,  Duke  de  la 
Rochefoucauld  ;  Miss  Meiggs,  Count  de  Neffray  ; 
Miss  Mary  Meinell,  Count  d'Avenel ;  Miss  Elizabeth 
Meinell,  Baron  La  Tournelle  ;  Miss  Amalie  Meinell, 
Baron  Klenck ;  Miss  Mary  Moore,  Baron  von  Bildt ; 
Miss  Moore,  Baron  von  Rosen  ;  Miss  May  Morgan> 
Sir  R.  Plunkett  ;  Miss  Mary  Moulton,  Baron 
Raaben  ;  Miss  Anita  Theresa  Murphy,  Sir  Charles 
M.  Wolseley  ;  Miss  Katherine  Orne,  Count  de  Bar- 
ralha  ;  Miss  Alice  O'Donnell,  Count  de  la  Bassetiere  ; 
Miss  Emily  O'Sullivan,  Count  de  San  Carlos ;  Miss 
Kate  Parkes,  Count  Mounzelli ;  Miss  Pilie,  Marquis 


Personal  Reminiscences  of  Notable  Men.      309 


de  Chasseloup-Loubat ;  Miss  Helen  Penniman,  Baron 
de  Bremont ;  Miss  Phelps,  Baron  von  Rothenburg  ; 
Miss  Ann  Reid,  Sir  Arthur  P.  F.  Aylmer ;  Miss 
Mary  Reade,  Lord  Falkland  ;  Miss  Emily  Roberts, 
Sir  Edmund  Hornby ;  Mrs.  Marshall  O.  Roberts, 
Col.  Ralph  Vivian  ;  Miss  Cornelia  Roosevelt,  Baron 
G.  Seydlitz  ;  Miss  Mary  Schenck,  Duke  of  Villars- 
Blanco  ;  Miss  Stokes,  Count  Solderini ;  Miss  Eliza- 
beth Shenley,  Hon.  Ralph  Harbord  ;  Mrs.  Isaac 
Singer,  Duke  of  Camposelice ;  Miss  Winnaretta 
Singer,  Prince  de  Scey-Montheliard  ;  Miss  Isabella 
Singer,  Duke  Decazes  ;  Miss  Florence  Emily  Sharon, 
Sir  Thomas  Hesketh  ;  Miss  Slidell,  Baron  Erlanger  ; 
Miss  Slidell,  Count  de  Saint-Roman  ;  Miss  Beth 
Sperry,  Prince  Andre  Foniatowsky  ;  Miss  May  Par- 
sons, Prince  de  Lynar ;  Miss  Sarah  Phelps  Stokes, 
Baron  Halkett ;  Miss  Ellen  Stager,  Lord  James  A. 
W.  F.  Butler  ;  Miss  Cora  Slocomb,  Count  di  Brazza- 
Savorgnan  ;  Mrs.  Frederick  Stevens,  Duke  de  Dino  ; 
Miss  Minnie  Stevens,  Col.  Arthur  Paget ;  Miss 
Eleanor  Spencer,  Prince  Vicovaro ;  Miss  Terry, 
Baron  Blanc  ;  Miss  Thorne,  Count  de  Frusca  ;  Miss 
Ella  Thorndike,  Count  de  Sartiges ;  Miss  Helen 
Thomas,  Vicomte  d'Anglemont ;  Miss  Belle  Wilson, 
Hon.  Michael  Henry  Herbert  ;  Miss  Lily  Wilson, 
Count  Lewenhaupt ;  Miss  Wheeler,  Count  Pappen- 
heim  ;  Miss  Adele  Ward,  Baron  A.  von  Bulow  ; 
Miss  Frances  Work,  Hon.  J.  B.  Burke-Roche ;  Miss 
Consuelo  Yznaga,  Duke  of  Manchester ;  Miss  Natica 
Yznaga,  Sir  John  Lister-Kaye. 

Rear-Admiral  James  William  Augustus  Nicholson, 
retired,  and  Mrs.  Nicholson,  were  always  welcome 


3IO  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


season  guests  at  the  States.  Admiral  Nicholson 
came  of  an  old  family  of  naval  officers,  some  mem- 
ber having  been  constantly  in  the  service  for  over 
one  hundred  years.  Since  1755  eighteen  of  the 
name  and  family  have  been  in  the  Navy,  three  have 
won  broad  pennants,  and  a  fourth  died  just  as  he 
received  an  appointment  to  one. 

The  Admiral  himself  had  been  in  the  Navy  for 
nearly  forty-nine  years.  In  1857  and  1860  he  was 
on  duty  on  the  African  coast,  suppressing  the  slave 
trade.  In  1864  he  was  in  command  of  the  Manhat- 
tan, under  Admiral  Farragut,  in  the  Gulf  blockading 
squadron  ;  and  it  was  the  fifteen-inch  shot  from  the 
Manhattan  that  penetrated  the  armor  of  the  Con- 
federate ram  Tennessee,  and  caused  her  to  surrender. 
In  1881,  while  commanding  the  European  squadron, 
he  witnessed  the  bombardment  of  Alexandria  by  the 
English. 

I  once  asked  the  Admiral  from  what  direction  the 
wind  was  blowing.  He  quickly  answered  that  he 
could  not  readily  tell  on  land,  but  if  he  were  at  sea 
he  could  do  so  in  a  moment.  He  was  very  attentive 
to  his  wife,  and  gave  much  of  his  time  to  her.  Mrs. 
Nicholson  unquestionably  exercised  a  great  influence 
over  the  Admiral ;  so  much  so,  that  what  seemed 
agreeable  to  one  became  agreeable  to  the  other 
through  the  strong  bond  of  sympathy.  On  one  oc- 
casion, having  one  of  her  wraps  hanging  over  his 
arm  and  a  parasol  in  one  hand,  I  accosted  him  in 
these  words :  "  Admiral,  you  are  always  engaged  in 
some  kind  office  for  your  better  half."  "  Why,"  said 
he,  "  the  men  have  nothing  to  do  up  here  in  Saratoga 
but  to  wait  on  their  wives." 


JEFFERSON   SELIQMAN. 


Personal  Reminiscences  of  Notable  Men.      3 1 1 

It  is  in  the  character  of  wife  that  Mrs.  Nicholson 
is  most  profoundly  admired  by  those  who  know  her 
well.  There  is  a  seeming  reserve  and  quiet  de- 
meanor about  her,  in  the  presence  of  acquaintances, 
which  gives  no  hint  of  her  generous  impulses  of 
mind  and  heart.  Mrs.  Nicholson  has  many  accom- 
plishments, and  is  altogether  a  thoroughly  interesting 
and  charming  woman.  She  has  very  decided  opin- 
ions about  things,  but  she  expresses  them  so  gently 
that  you  are  scarcely  aware  that  they  have  been 
expressed  until  you  run  up  against  some  of  them, 
and  then  you  find  that  she  knows  how  to  defend 
them.  Courtesy  with  her  is  a  fine  art. 

The  following  beautiful  words  were  spoken  by 
Dr.  Cuyler  at  Admiral  Nicholson's  funeral : 

"  When  I  heard  Admiral  Nicholson's  last  words,  '  I  am 
dying,'  I  was  reminded  of  that  most  beautiful  passage  of 
Bunyan,  where  Valiant  arrives  at  the  river  of  death. 
'  My  sword  shall  I  give  to  him  who  comes  after  me  on 
my  pilgrimage  ;  my  courage  and  skill  to  him  who  can 
get  it  ;  my  marks  and  scars  I  carry  with  me  to  be  my 
witness  that  I  have  fought  for  Him  who  shall  be  my  re- 
warder.'  And  as  Valiant  entered  the  river,  he  cried, 
'  O  Death,  where  is  thy  sting  ?  '  and  as  he  went  still 
deeper,  '  O  grave,  where  is  thy  victory  ?  '  So  Valiant 
went  over,  and  the  trumpets  sounded  for  him  on  the 
other  side." 

Rear-Admiral  William  Edgar  Leroy,  U.  S.  N., 
and  Mrs.  Leroy,  were  season  guests  at  the  United 
States.  Mrs.  Leroy  is  not  only  a  handsome  woman, 
but  charms  you  with  her  sweet  manners  and  win- 


312  Rem  in  iscences  of  Saratoga . 


ning  ways  ;  while  the  Admiral  is  familiarly  known 
as  the  Chesterfield  of  the  Navy. 

David  B.  Harmony,  U.  S.  N.,  accompanied  by 
Mrs.  Harmony,  was  very  fond  of  spending  a  few 
days  each  season  at  the  Spa,  and  their  names  could 
always  be  found  on  the  States  register.  They  are  a 
delightful  couple  to  meet,  and  their  society  was  in 
constant  demand. 

The  Admiral  is  very  fine  looking,  dignified  in  his 
demeanor,  one  of  the  most  positive  of  men,  with 
decided  convictions.  His  face  has  been  burned  by 
the  sun,  and  exposure  to  the  salt  air,  until  it  is  of  a 
dark  bronze  hue,  through  which  the  rich  tinge  of 
health  appears  on  his  cheeks.  The  contour  of  his 
kind  and  benevolent  face  would  be  a  passport  any- 
where. 

Mrs.  Harmony  is  an  attractive  woman,  most  di- 
vinely fair,  gentle,  and  refined,  with  such  exquisite 
manners  that  you  are  at  once  charmed  with  her  sweet 
and  gracious  presence.  Mrs.  Harmony  is  of  medium 
height,  yet  she  wears  her  gowns  with  the  dignity  of 
a  queen  ;  and  they  are  made  in  such  a  becoming  style 
that  they  add  inches  to  her  height,  and  give  her  such 
a  fine  appearance  that  one  thinks  her  a  tall  woman. 

The  last  season  that  Mrs.  Harmony  was  at  the 
United  States,  she  was  there  alone.  It  was  in  the 
summer  of  1890;  and  I  was  deeply  interested  in  a 
charming  conversation  with  her,  relative  to  the  first 
year  of  President  Harrison's  administration  from  a 
social  standpoint.  Of  course,  Mrs.  Harmony,  being  a 
resident  of  Washington  at  that  time,  participated  in 
all  the  leading  social  events.  The  Admiral  was 


Personal  Reminiscences  of  Notable  Men.      3 1 3 

abroad  at  the  time  of  which  I  write,  and  Mrs.  Har- 
mony was  soon  to  set  sail  and  join  her  husband,  as 
she  informed  me. 

When  my  old  and  greatly  esteemed  friend,  Hon. 
William  Walter  Phelps  of  New  Jersey,  returned 
home  from  his  post  at  Berlin,  he  took  occasion,  at  a 
reception  tendered  him,  to  pay  the  following  touch- 
ing and  beautiful  tribute  to  his  successor,  Hon. 
Theodore  Runyon  : — 

"  You  notice  I  keep  on  this  side  of  the  water  in  my 
talk.  You  expected  that,  when  I  told  you  that  I  would  n't 
accept  this  compliment  as  a  tribute  to  my  public  services 
in  Berlin,  but  only  as  a  friendly  welcome  to  a  neighbor 
who  had  been  a  long  while  from  home  and  was  glad  to 
get  back.  It  doesn't  seem  to  me  that  I  did  any  more 
than  my  duty  in  Germany,  and  I  don't  want  to  act  as  if 
I  thought  I  had.  But  in  a  Jersey  gathering  there  is  no 
reason  why  I  may  not  refer  to  the  pride  and  satisfaction 
with  which  I  welcomed  my  successor.  The  Newark 
yoitrnal,  at  a  guess,  said  the  morning  after  the  nomina- 
tion, '  If  Mr.  Phelps  had  named  his  own  successor,  he 
would  have  named  Theodore  Runyon.' 

"  The  Newark  Journal  fired  at  random,  but  it  struck 
the  bull's-eye.  With  the  dignity  of  age,  with  the  mem- 
ory of  the  highest  offices  of  the  Commonwealth  long  and 
worthily  held,  with  a  position  in  religious  and  legal  and 
political  circles  of  the  highest,  he  would  be  everywhere 
greeted  as  the  first  citizen  of  New  Jersey.  The  Emperor 
William  could  not  expect  to  get  anything  better  than  that. 
May  Minister  Runyon  be  happy  on  the  banks  of  the  Spree. 
He  can  scarcely  be  so  happy  as  I  am  on  the  banks  of 
the  Overpeck.  And  as  I  drive  back  to  Teaneck  to-night 
on  the  familiar  road  I  have  driven  in  all  weathers  and  all 


3 1 4  Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 

moods,  my  two  lusty  sons,  Englewood-bred  and  Engle- 
wood  freeholders,  will  hear  me  say  for  the  thousandth 
time,  it  was  no  mistake  to  come  to  Englewood." 

An  old  habitue  of  the  United  States  was  Mr. 
Phelps.  He  was  fond  of  enjoying  the  beauties  of 
Saratoga  and  the  home-like  comforts  of  the  hotel. 

Hon.  W.  R.  Grace  and  family,  of  New  York,  are 
frequent  visitors  to  Saratoga.  The  Ex-Mayor's 
manner  is  engaging  and  frank ;  he  never  seems  hur- 
ried or  ill  at  ease,  but  calm  and  unruffled  ;  he  is  cour- 
teous and  a  born  gentleman,  with  a  great  big  generous 
heart,  and  cannot  fail  to  make  a  decided  impression 
upon  all  who  are  so  fortunate  as  to  make  his  acqaint- 
ance. 

Mrs.  Grace  is  exceedingly  handsome,  and  is  always 
dressed  in  elegant  and  fashionable  gowns,  severely 
simple  and  stylish.  She  is  of  medium  height,  beau- 
tifully proportioned,  and  makes  a  pleasing  picture  as 
she  sits  on  the  broad  lawn  piazza  of  the  hotel,  sur- 
rounded by  a  happy  coterie  of  friends,  listening  to 
the  music. 

John  M.  Toucey  and  his  accomplished  wife  came 
quite  often  to  the  States,  and  were  pleasantly  located 
in  Cottage  Row.  Mr.  Toucey  is  one  of  Nature's 
noblemen,  an  estimable  man  whose  character  all  his 
fellow-citizens  hold  in  high  regard.  He  is  possessed 
of  great  natural  executive  ability,  qualified  by  train- 
ing and  experience  ;  quiet  and  unassuming  in  manner, 
kind  and  generous  of  heart,  one  whom  it  is  an  honor 
to  call  a  friend.  He  is  slow  and  deliberate  in  his 
speech,  and  seems  to  turn  over  everything  in  his 
mind  before  uttering  it.  It  were  a  waste  of  words  to 


Personal  Reminiscences  of  Notable  Men.       3 1 5 

add  to  the  encomiums  already  showered  upon  him  at 
various  times  in  his  long  connection  with  the  road  of 
which  he  is  the  General  Manager ;  distinguished  for 
his  energy  and  industry,  and  those  pre-eminent 
charms  of  mind  and  person  which  have  made  him  the 
idol  of  that  magnificent  and  superb  road  leading 
from  New  York  to  Buffalo,  the  New  York  Central 
and  Hudson  River  Railroad. 

The  writer  of  the  foregoing  remembers  Mr.  Toucey 
when  he  was  quite  a  young  and  handsome  man,  em- 
ployed as  a  conductor  on  the  road  which  was  known 
at  that, time  simply  as  the  Hudson  River  Railroad, 
and  he  has  very  pleasant  memories  of  Mr.  Toucey's 
kindness  on  several  occasions  since  then. 

We  desire  to  incorporate  here  the  following  ar- 
ticle from  the  Cornell  Daily  Sun  concerning  Henry 
W.  Sage. — 

"  Henry  W.  Sage  is  a  great  public  benefactor.  What 
Cornell  owes  to  him  can  hardly  be  estimated  in  figures, 
but  it  would  be  well  to  recall  at  least  the  bare  list  of  his 
great  gifts  :  Sage  college  for  women,  with  endowment 
fund  (1873),  $266,000  ;  Sage  Chapel  (1873),  $30,000  ; 
Contribution  toward  extinguishment  of  a  floating  debt 
(1881),  $30,000  ;  house  of  Sage  professor  of  philosophy 
(1886),  $11,000  ;  Susan  Linn  Sage  chair  of  philosophy 
(1886),  $50,000  ;  Susan  Linn  school  of  philosophy  (1886). 
$200,000  ;  University  Library  building  (1891),  $260,000  ; 
University  Library  endowment  (1891),  $300,000  ;  casts 
for  archaeological  museum  (1891),  $8,000  :  total, 
$1,155,000. 

"  This,  we  need  hardly  say,  does  not  nearly  represent 
the  sum  of  money  Mr.  Sage  has  added  to  our  endow- 


316 


Reminiscences  of  Saratoga. 


ment.  For  fifteen  years  he  managed  our  great  pine 
lands  for  no  compensation  whatever,  and  ultimately  real- 
ized on  them,  $6,000,000,  although  the  trustees  would 
once  have  accepted  $1,000,000  but  for  his  objection. 
It  is  worth  while  also  to  note,  as  we  understand  Mr. 
Howe  to  mean,  that  Mr.  Sage  has  been  a  stanch  up- 
holder of  liberal  education  at  Cornell.  Religion,  phil- 
osophy, classical  archasology,  and  the  education  of 
women,  have  been  the  profilers  by  his  munificence." 


INDEX. 


Albani,  Mademoiselle,  50 
Alger,  Mr.  C.  C.,  5 
Allen,  Mrs.  C.  H.,  259 
Amsdell,  Mr   and  Mrs.  Geo.  I., 

258 
Andrews,  Hon.  and  Mrs.  Geo.  P., 

178,  245,  268 
Andrews,  Miss,  182 
Antelo,  Mr.  A.  J.,  165 
Antelo,  The  Misses,  165 
Appleton,     Mr.    and     Mrs.     I). 

Sidney,  276 

Appleton,  Master  Daniel,  276 
Appleton,  Miss  Georgia,  276 
Appold,  Mr.  George  J.,  255 
Appold,  The  Misses,  255 
Arkell,  Mr.  Wm.  J.,  144,  242 
Armstead,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  II., 

103 

Armstead,  Miss  Bessie,  103 
Armour,   Mr.  and  Mrs.   II.   O., 

178 
Arnold,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chas.  E., 

142 

Arnold,  Mr.  D.  S.,  249 
Arthur,    Hon.    Chester   A.,    64, 

233 

Arthur,  Mrs.  Chester  A.,  233 
Astor,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Jacob, 

205 
Astor,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  \V.  W.,  2<;i 


Ayers,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  H.  M.,  242 
Ayers,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  M.  W.,  242 
Ayers,  Mr.  Wm.  C.  A.,  242 

B 

Baldwin,  Ex-Governor,  115 
Baldwin,  The  Misses,  266 
Ballard,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frank  N., 

230 

Barbey,  Mr.,  13 
Barclay,  Mr.  J.  Searle,  262 
Barclay,  Mrs.  J.  Searle,  20,  263 
Barnes,  Mr.  Charles,  160 
Barnes,  Mr.   and  Mrs.  T.  Weed, 
I       247 

Barr,  Miss  Alice  E.,  160 
Bartle,  Mr.  A.,  160 
Bartlett,  Hon.  and  Mrs.   E.  T., 

182 
Batcheller,  Hon.  George  S.,  266, 

267,  2/3 

Batcheller,  Mrs.  Geo.  S. ,  267 
Batcheller,  Miss  Kate,  266 
Baudouine,  Mr.  C.  A.,  129 
Bauclouine,  Mr.  C.  A.,  Jr.,  129 
Baudouine,  Mrs.,  181 
Bayard,  Hon.  Thomas  E.,  234 
Baylis,  Mrs.  William,  237 
Beach,  Capt.  and  Mrs.  Warren 

C.,  119,  164,  170 
Beaufort,  Duke  of.  70 
Beckel,  Mrs.  Benjamin  E.,  103 


317 


Index. 


Belden,  Mrs.,  120,  122,  180 
Belmont,  Mr.  August,  21 
Benedict,  Hon.   and  Mrs.  Chas. 

L.,  167 

Bennett,  Mr.  E.  H.,  265 
Bennett,  Miss  Hannah  M.,  237 
Bennett,  Miss  Ida,  229,  264 
Bennett,  Mr.  James  Gordon,  280 
Bennett,  Miss  Sarah,  229,  264 
Beratis,  Deacon  Homer,  119 
Bergh,  Mr.  Henry,  288 
Bishop,  Hon.  Win.  D.,  123,  178 
Bishop,  Mrs.  Wm.  D.,  178 
Elaine,  Hon.  James  G.,  234 
Blaine,  Mrs.  James  G.,  Jr.,  98 
Elaine,  Master  James  G.,  3d,  98 
Blatchford,  Hon.  and  Mrs.  Sam- 
uel, 112 

Bliss,  Mr.  George,  63,  178,  228 
Bliss,  Mrs.  George,  63,  178 
Bliss,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Geo.  P.,  139 
Bliss,  Mr.  Walter,  267 
Blood,  Mrs.,  92 
Bockes,  Judge,  63 
Bogert,  Mr.  S.  G.,  119,  179 
Bogert,  Mrs.  S.  G.,  119,  122,  179, 

180,  264 

Bogert,  The  Misses,  119,  179 
Bonner,  Mr.  Robert,  22 
Booth,  Mr.  Edwin,  70 
Bowen,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  C., 

178 

Bowie,  Ex-Gov.  Oden,  258 
Bozeman,  Dr.  Nathan,  248 
Brand,  Miss  Laura,  242 
Breslin,  Mr.  James  H.,  5 
Bristow,  Hon.  and  Mrs.  B.  H., 

119 
Bromley,    Mr.   and    Mrs.    Miles 

Standish,  97 
Brookman,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry 

D.,  120,  254 
Brookman,  Mr.  Henry  Prentice, 

254 

Brooks,  Mr.  John,  237 
Brooks,  Bishop  Phillips,  116 
Brown,  Mrs.  Alexander,  255 
Brown,  Mr.  John  Carter,  20 
Brown,  Mr.  O.  J.,  56 
Brown,  Dr.  and  Mrs.   Philip  II., 

Jr.,  143 


Bryant,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  Hen- 
derson, 257 

Bryant,  Mr.  William  Cullen,  281 
Bull,  Hon.  Melville,  261 
Burchard,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  T.  H., 

119,  165,  182 
Burd,  Mr.  Frank  A.,  264 
Burden-Sloane  Wedding,  220 
Burdett-Coutts,  Baroness,  7 
Burke,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  M.  M.,  237 
Burke-Roche,  Mrs.,  245 
Burke,  Master  Robert  Law,  237 
Burnet,  Mr.  R.  W.,  119 
Burnside,  Gen.  Ambrose  E.,  20 


Cadwell,  Mr.  S.  U.,  119,  179,  272 
Cadwell,  Mrs.  S.  U.,   119,   179, 

230,  264,  272 
Caldwell,  Mrs.  Dr.,  142 
Cameron,  Mrs.  A.  Scott,  262 
Cameron,  Sir  Roderick,  240 
Cammack,  Mr.  Addison,  21,  259 
Cammack,  Mrs.  Addison,  259 
Campbell,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  A., 

180 

Carey,  Rt.  Rev.  and  Mrs.,  252 
Carhart,  Mrs.  Amory,  254 
Carnegie,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Andrew, 

128 

Carson,  Miss  A.,  159,  160 
Carter,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Oliver  S., 

179,  231 

Chaney,  Rev.  George  I.,  187 
Chapin,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Abel  D., 

268 

Chapin,  Mr.  Chester  W.,  269 
Chapin,  Mi.  and  Mrs.  L.   Hoff- 
man, 268 

Chapman,  Mr.  Wm.  H.,  178,  259 
Childs,  Mr.  George  W.,  72,292 
Chisholm.  The  Misses,  63 
Church,  Col.  Walter  S.,  81 
Churchill,  Lord  and  Lady  Ran- 
dolph, 16 

Clark,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  H.,  182 
Clark,  Master  Edmund,  246 
Clark,  Master  Grant,  246 
Cleveland,     Hon.     Grover     and 
Mrs.,  66 


Index. 


319 


Clews,  Mr.  Henry,  167 
Clover,  Rev.  Mr.,  242 
Cobb,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  F.,  179 
Cochrane,  Dr.,  264 
Coddington,  Mr.  Gilbert  S.,  143 
Coggeshall,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  119 
Collis,  Mrs.  C.  J.,  181 
Collis,  Mrs.  Chas.  H.  T.,  102, 262 
Collis,  Gen.  Chas.  H.  T.,  262 
Compton,  Hon.  Mr.,  284 
Conkling,  Col.  Fred.  A.,  87 
Conkling,  Miss  Laura,  87 
Cook,  Mr.  James  C.,  237 
Cook,  Hon.  James  M.,  267 
Cook,  Miss  M.  E.,  237 
Corcoran,  Hon.  W.  W.,  24 
Corning,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edwin,  16 
Corning,  Hon.  and  Mrs.  Erastus, 

16 
Corning,  Mr.  and  Mrs.   Erastus, 

201 

Corning  Ball  at  Albany,  201 
Cornwall,  Hon.  Horace,  178 
Cottrell,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edwin, 

231 
Crackenthorpe,  Hon.  Montague, 

274 

Cramp,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  C.,  123 
Cramp,  Miss,  123 
Crane,    Rev.    and   Mrs.    Oliver, 

182,  238 
Craven,   Earl  and  Countess   of, 

130 

Crocker,  Rev.  Joseph  II.,  187 
dimming,   Sir  Wm.    and   Lady 

Gordon,  300 

Curtin,  Ex-Gov.  and  Mrs.,  94 
Curtis,  Hon.  Geo.  William,  100 
Curtiss,  Mr.  Edward  M.,  104 
Cutting,  Mr.  J.  D.  W.,  119 
Cutting,  Mr.  Robert  L.,  98,  119 
Cutting,  Mr.  Robert  L.,  Jr.,  98 
Curzon-Leiter  Wedding,  294 

D 

Dahlgren,     Rear      Aclm.     John 

Adolf,  87 
Dahlgren,    Mr.    and    Mrs.   John 

V.,  87 
Dana,  Mr.  Charles  A.,  281 


Davies,  Judge  Henry  E.,  20,  134 

Davies,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  136 

Davies,  Mrs.,  21 

Davis,  Hon.  H.  C.,  266 

Davis,  Miss  Grace,  266 

De  Castellane-Gould   Wedding, 

215 

Dechert,  Mrs.  Yellott  D.,  252 
Dechert,  Master  James  F.,  252 
De  Leon,  Mr.  H.  H.,  250 
De  Leon,  Miss,  250 
Depew,  Hon.  Chauncey  M.,  285 
Devereaux,  Miss  N.  A.,  181 
De  Vissar,  Mr.  Simon,  21 
Dickey,  Mr.  Charles  D.,  165,  175 
Dickey,  Miss,  175 
Dillon,  Miss  Anne,  85 
Dillon,  Hon.  John  Forrest,  133 
Dix,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Morgan  A.,  63 
Dodge,  Miss  Cassie,  179 
Dodge,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Geo.    E., 

179 

Dodge,  Mr.  Wm.  E.,  17,  182 
Dodge,  Mrs.  Wm.  E,,  182 
Donnell,  Mr.  and  Mrs.   Ezekiel 

J.,  267 

Donnell,  Miss  Florence,  267 
Dougherty,  Hon.  Daniel,  98,  113 
Dougherty,  Mrs.  Daniel,  98 
Downing,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Augus- 
tus C.,  256 
Doyle,  Mr.   and  Mrs.  \Vm.   M., 

124 

Drexel,  Mr.  Anthony  J.,  292 
Dumond,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  C.  J.,  20, 

120,  178 

Dumond,  Miss  Ida,  120,  178 
Duncan,  Miss  Margaret  Preston, 

241,  242 

Duncan,  Mr.  Wm.  Butler,  20 
Dutilh,   Mr.   and  Mrs.   Eugene, 

123 


Edwards,  Dr.,  160 
Ehninger,  Mrs.  John  W.,  119 
Elder,  Mr.  George  W.,  259 
Elder,  Mrs.  George  W.,  259,  272 
Elkins,  Mrs.  Stephen  B.,  266 
Ellis,  Mr.  W.  D.,  264 


320 


Index. 


Ellis,  Mrs.,  122,  180 

Ely,  Hon.  Smith,  179 

Embry,  Judge,  63 

English,   Mr.   and  Mrs.  James, 

119,  240 

English,  Mrs.  James  E.,  246 
Eno,  Mr.,  86 

Etas,  Bishop  Dionysius,  119 
Eulalie,  Princess,  177 
Eustis,  Hon.  Mr.,  289 
Ewing,  Miss  Fanny,  159,  160 


Field,  Hon.  Cyrus  W.,  270 
Field,  Hon.  David  Dudley,  269 
Field,  Mr.  Henry  Martyn,  270 
Field,  Hon.  Matthew  D.,  2/0 
Field,  Mr.  Stephen  Johnson,  270 
Fish,  Hon.  Hamilton,  206 
Fish,  The  Misses,  165 
Fisher,  Mrs.,  180 
Fitzgerald,  Gen.  Louis,  127 
Flagler,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  H., 

179,  244 

Flagler,  Mr.  Henry  M.,  245 
Flagler,  Mrs.,  243 
Flannigan,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James, 

252 

Florence,  Mr.,  71 
Flower,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  D.,  165 
Flower,  Hon.   Roswell  P.,   119, 

168,  172,  200 

Flower,  Mrs.  Roswell  P.,  119,172 
Foote,  Miss  May  Dwight,  178 
Fort,  Mrs.  P.  V.,  247 
Foster,   Hon.  and  Mrs.  J.   W., 

2/4 

Fox,  Hon.  James,  274 
Franklin,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  84 
Frazer,  Mrs.,  122 
Frelinghuysen,    Hon.   Frederick 

T.,  19 

Frelinghuysen,  Miss  Tillie,  19 
Frothingham,  Mr.    M.    Stan  ton, 

162 
Furlong,  Gen.  Charles,  131 

G 

Gage,  Mr.  Charles,  56 
Gage,  Miss  Lucy,  247 


Gage,  Miss  Rhoby,  56 
Gage,  Mr.  William  B.,  55 
Gage,  Mrs.  William  B.,  85 
Gardiner,  Mr.  andMrs.  John,  182 
Garr,  Mr.  George  F.,  179 
Garr,  Mr.  Joseph  K.,  179 
Garrett,  Mr.  John  W.,  25 
Gerard,  Mr.  James  W.,  20,  240 
Gerard,  Mrs.  James  W.,  240 
Gibson,  Mrs.  William,  122 
Gladstone,  Mr.  Henry  E.,  121 
Goldsmith,  The  Misses,  129 
Goodhart,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Albert 

E.,  246 
Gorman,  Hon.  Arthur  P.,   119, 

284 

Gorman,  Mr.  A.  P.,  Jr.,  119 
Gould,  Mr.  George,  283 
Gould,  Miss  Helen,  100,  283 
Gould,  Mr.  Jay,  21,  57,  80,  281 
Gould,  Mrs.  Jay,  21,  282 
Grace,  Hon.  W.  R.,  57,  314 
Grace,  Mrs.  William  R.,  314 
Grafton,  Mr.  John  Gurley,  229 
Graham,  Mr.  John,  73 
Granger,  Hon.  Francis,  20 
Grant,  Gen.  U.  S.,  61 
Grant,  Mrs.  Julia  Dent,  131,  243 
Grant,  Miss  Julia  Denl,  243,  244 
Graves,  The  Misses,  97 
Gray,  Dr.  John  F.,  16 
Gray,  Miss  Mary,  17 
Greeley,  Hon.  Horace,  280 
Green,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  C.,  18 
Gregg,  Mrs.  Andrew,  255 
Gregg,  Mr.  Morris,  255 
Gresham,  Judge,  234 
Groesbeck,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wm. 

S.,97 
Gumersell,  Miss  A.  J.,  182 

H 

;  Hagaman,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Theo- 
dore, 246 

Hale,  Rev.  Edward  Everett,  187 

Halketh,  Baron  and  Baroness, 
242 

Hall,  Miss  Clarissa,  15 

Hamlin,  Mr.  andMrs.  Cicero  J., 
256 


Index. 


321 


Hancock,  Gen.  Winfield  S.,  234 
Handy,  Dr.  and  Mrs.,  85 
Hanson,  Mr.  Walter  H.,  120, 168 
Hanson,  Mrs.  Walter  H.,  120, 

168,  264 

Hanson,  Master  Walter,  168 
Harmon,  Attorney-General,  274 
Harmony,  Admiral  and  Mrs.,  312 
Harnett,   Mr.  and  Mrs.    R.  V., 

133,  178,  180 
Harper,    Mr.    and    Mrs.  Joseph 

W.,  253 

Harper,  Mr.  Joseph  W.,  Jr.,  63 
Harris,  Hon.  and  Mrs.  Hamilton, 

2 

Harrison,  President,  Reception 
to,  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stranahan, 
104 

Harvey,  Mr.  Peter,  21 
Hart,  Mrs.,  237,  242 
Hathorn,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frank, 

247 

Hathorn,  Miss  Florence,  247 
Hayes,  Hon.  and  Mrs.   Ruther- 
ford B.,  132 

Haynes,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  E.,  178 
Haynes,  Miss  A.  W.,  178 
Heaton,  Mr.  Charles  A.,  236 
Heaton,  Mr.  Edward,  237 
Heaton,  Mr.  Guy,  237 
Hentz,  Mrs.  J.  Henry,  127 
Herman,  Miss  Belle,  103 
Herrick,  Hon.  and  Mrs.  D.  Cady, 

249 

Hicks-Lord,  Mrs.,  21 
Hill,  Nicholas,  Tribute  to,  135 
Hilton,  Judge  Henry,  70 
Hoar,  Hon.  George  F.,  187 
Holland,   Mr.   George  W.,   129, 

275 
Holland,  Mrs.  George  W.,   128, 

274 

Hooker,  Mrs.,  122 
Horwitz,  Mr.  and  Mrs.   B.   F., 

269 

Horwitz,  Miss  Adele,  269 
Hotchkiss,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Justus, 

182 
Hull,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Calvin  E., 

I2O,   238 


Hunt,  Mr.  Wilson  G.,  143 
Huntington,  Mr.  Collis  P.,  119, 

256 

Hurlbut,  Mr.  Henry  A.,  121,  256 
Hurlbut,  Mr.  H.  A.,  Jr.,  164 
Husband,  Mrs.  K.  C.,  178 
Hyde,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  B., 

120,  127 
Hyde,  Mr.  James  H.,  127 


Ivison,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  D.  B.,  179 
Ivison,  The  Misses,  179 


J 


Jacobs,  Miss  Ida,  260 

James,   Mrs.    Julian,    120,    131, 

164,  175 
Janeway,  Mr.  John  Howell,  Jr., 

116 

Janvrin,  Mr.  Louis  H.,  55 
Jerome,  Mr.,  71 
Jerome,  Mr.  Lawrence,  15 
Jerome,  Mr.  Leonard  W.,  15 
Jesup,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  R., 

115,  242 
Jewett,    Rev.   A.  D.  Lawrence, 

240 

Johnson,  Mr.  Alexander  B.,  179 
Johnson,  Mrs.  Alexander  B.,  179, 

182 
Johnson,   Mr.   and  Mrs.   Henry 

W.,  64,  165 

K 

Keene,   Mr.    and  Mrs.   Foxhall, 

178 

Keene,  Mr.  John  R.,  63 
Keith,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edson,  230 
Kellogg,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John,  165 
Kellogg,  Miss,  165 
Kelly,  Miss,  124 
Kenny,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  W.,  123 
Kernochan,  Mr.,  13 
King,  Mr.  E.  J.,  179,  230 
King,  Mrs.  E.  J.,  119,  179,  230 
King,  Mr.  Henry  L.,  4 


322 


Index. 


King,  Mr.  Jack,  257 

King,  Mr.   and  Mrs.  John,  178, 

257 

King,  Mr.  J.  Howard,  4 
King,  Miss  Kate,  179 
King,  The  Misses,  119 
King,  Mr.  Rufus  H.,  4 
King,  Gen.  Rufus  H.,  4 
King,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rufus,  63 
King,  Miss  Sarah,  179 
Kintaele,  Mr.  M.  J.,  160 
Kip,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Isaac  L.,  I2O, 

166,  231 

Kip,  Col.  Lawrence,  13 
Kip,  Rev.  Wm.  Ingraham,  13 
Kip,  Mr.  Wm.  V.  B.,  121,  231 
Kissam,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Benjamin 

P.,  97 

Kissam,  Miss,  120 
Kissam,  Miss  Ethol,  97 
Klemm,   Mr.   and  Mrs.  Edward 

M.,  119,  179,  238 
Klemm,  Miss  Emma,  238 
Knickerbacker,    Mr.    and    Mrs. 

Henry,  255 
Knight,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.  B.,  120, 

179 

Knower,  Mrs.,  120 
Knower,  Mrs.  E.,  164 
Knox,    Mr.    and    Mrs.    Edward 

M.,  257 

Kountz,  Mrs.  Augustus,  63 
Kraus,    Mr.  and  Mrs.  William, 

255 


Lament,  Mrs.,  115 
Lamont,  Mrs.  AnnaM.,  179,  242 
Lamont,  Miss  Anna  L.,  115,  242 
Lamont,  Mr.  Lansing,  115,  179 
Lanier,  Mr.  James  F.  D.,  234 
Lathrop,  Mr.  Daniel,  21 
Lathrop,  Mrs.  Daniel,  168 
Latimer,  Mrs.  William,  63 
Latrobe,  Judge,  143 
Laur,  Miss  Angie,  122 
Lawton,  General,  94 
Lavvton,  Col.  George  P.,  169 
Lawton,  Mrs.  George  P.,  169,  181 
Lawton,  Master  Daniel  L.,  169 


Learned,  Hon.  William  Law,  249 
Leary,  Mr.  Arthur,  1 8 
Lee,  Miss,  119,230 
Leiter,  Miss  Mary, 294 
Leland,  Mr.  Charles,  6 
Leland,  Mr.  Charles  E.,  6 
Leland,  Mr.  Simeon,  6,  21 
Leland,  Mr.  \Varren,  6 
Leland,  Mr.  Warren  F.,  261 
Leroy,  Rear  Admiral  and  Mrs., 

3" 

Leslie,  Mrs.  Frank,  124 
Lewis,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  21 
Lincoln,  Miss,  85 
Linn,  Miss  Bessie  W. ,  231 
Linn,  Miss  C.  A.,  231 
Linn,  Miss  Sarah  P.,  231 
Linsly,  Mrs.,  119,  122, 180,  181, 

264 

Lissberger,  Miss  Jennie,  103 
Lisso,  Miss  Matilda,  119 
Lockwood,     Sir      Francis     and 

Lady,  274 

Lockwood,  Miss,  274 
Lorillard,  Miss  Eva,  12 
Lorillard,  Mr.  George,  13 
Lorillard,  Mr.  Jacob,  13 
Lorillard,  Mr.  Lewis,  13 
Lorillard,  Mr.  Peter,  12 
Lorillard,  Mr.  Pierre,  13,  249 

M 

MacArthur,  Judge,  234 
Mackay,  Mr.  John  W.,  265 
Mackay,  Mr.  John  W.,  Jr.,  265 
Mackay,  Mrs.  John  W.,  265 
Mann,  Mr.  and  Mrs.   Benjamin, 

165 

Marie,  Mr.  Peter,  259 
Marlborough  -  Vanderbilt    Wed- 
ding, 299 

Marshal],  Mr.  John  R.,  21 
Martin,  Mr.,  57 
Martin,     Mr.    and    Mrs.     John 

Sayre,  239 

Marvin,  Hon.  James  M.,  55,  252 
Marvin,  Mrs.  James  M.,  266 
Mason,  Mr.  Sidney,  21,  175 
Mnson,  Mrs.  Sidney,  175 


Index. 


323 


Mason,  Lieut.  T.  Bailey  Myers, 

175 

Mason,  Miss,  241 
Matthews,    Mr.    and    Mrs.    Ed- 
ward, 20,  21 

May,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Calvin  S. ,  260 
May,  Miss,  260 
Mayer,  Miss  Bertha,  103 
Mayham,  Hon.  Stephen  L.,  249 
Mayher,  Miss  Josephine  C.,  259 
McAllister,  Mr.  Ward,  206 
McAllister,  The  Misses,  116 
McAlpin,  Mrs.  E.  A.,  226 
McClellan,  Mrs.  George  B.,  136 
McConihe,  Messrs.,  264 
McCorinick  -  Rockefeller    Wed- 
ding, 303 

McCracken,  Mr.,  134 
McElroy,  Mrs.  John  E.,  64 
McGuire,  Mrs.  T.  D.,  20 
McKee,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  R.,  229 
Meagher,    Mrs.    Thos.     Francis, 

179 

Meyer,  Mrs.  Ida,  120,  284 
Meyer,  Miss  Irma,  120,  284,  285 
Mills,  Mr.  D.  O.,  256 
Montague,  Miss,  255 
Monteith,   Mr.  and  Mrs.   Peter, 

20,  21 
Moore,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  A., 

252 

Moore,  Mr.  Lucius,  123 
Moore,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  R.,  179 
Morosini,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,   78 
Morosini,  Miss,  78,  91 
Morrissey,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John, 

63 

Morton,  Hon.  Levi  P.,  Inaugura- 
tion of,  193  ;  Reception  of,  196 
Moseley,  Mr.  E.  S.,  160 
Munn,  Dr.  J.  P.,  283 
Munn,  Mrs.  J.  P.,  100 
Munn,  Mr.  O.  D.,  21,  97,  170 
Munn,  Mrs.  O.  D.,  21,  97 
Munn,  Master  Charlie,  171 
Murphy,  Hon.  Edward,  Jr..  185 
Murphy,  Miss  Ellie,  186 
Musgrave,  Lady,  270 
Musgrave,   Hon.  Dudley  Field, 
270 


Myers,  Mrs.  T.  Bailey,  164,  175, 
231 

N 

Nash,  The  Misses,  119,  165,  230 

264 
Nash,  Mr.  J.  Warren,   119,   165 

230,  264 

Nathan,  Mr.  Benjamin,  20 
Nathan,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frederick, 

1 20 

Nehr,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  H.,  237 
Neilson,  Mrs.  Frederick,  304 
Neilson,  Miss  Belle,  304 
Nichol,  Mrs.  Charlotte  Ann,  98 
Nicholson,    Admiral   and    Mrs., 

309 

Nickels,  Capt.  H.  E.,  152,  160 
Niles,  Mrs.  Philip,  254 
Nixon,  Miss  Carrie,  186 
Nixon,  Mr.  S.  F.,  186 
Noble,  Hon.  and  Mrs.  John  W., 

1 20 

Nolan,  Hon.  M.  N.,  126 
Nolan,  The  Misses,  127 
Norrie,  Mr.  Adam,  20,  170 
Norrie,  Mrs.  Adam,  20 
Norrie,  Mr.  A.  Gordon,  179 
Northup,  Bishop,  120 

O 

Ochiltree,  Mr.  Thomas,  94 
O'Conor,  Hon.  and  Mrs.  Charles, 

21,  134 
Otto,  Miss,  103 


Palmer,  Hon.  and  Mrs.  Thomas 

W.,  140 

Parish,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry,  182 
Parker,  Mr.  Joseph,  180,  240 
Payn,  Miss  Fannie,  257 
Peabody,  Mr.  Charles  A.,  255 
Peabody,  Prof.  Francis  G.,  187 
Peabody,  Mr.  Philip  G.,  255 
Pell,  Mr.  Duane,  21 
Pell,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Geo.  Wash- 
ington, 21 


324 


Index. 


Penniman,  Mrs.  T.  J.,  120,  164 

Pepper,  Mrs.  James  E.,  102 

Perry,  Dr.  John  L.,  55 

Perry,  Mrs.  John  L.,  276 

Perry,  Mrs.,  259 

Perry,  Miss,  252 

Perry,  Rt.  Rev.  and  Mrs.  \Vm. 

Stevens,  252 
Phelps,  Hon.  Edward  J.,  94,  229, 

274 

Phelps,  Mr.  Isaac  N.,  138 
Phelps,  Mrs.  Isaac  N.,  139 
Phelps,  Hon.  Wm.  Walter,  143, 

313 

Phillips,  Mr.  Angelo,  263 
Phillips,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jonas,  263 
Phillips,  Mr.  Morris,  242 
Phillips,  Miss,  242 
Pierpont,    Hon.    Edwards,    48 ; 

Banquet  of,  to  Gen.  Grant,  149 
Pierson,   Chancellor   Henry   R., 

81 

Plant,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  B.,  128 
Postley,  Mr.  Clarence  A.,  259 
Potter,  Bishop  H.  C..  119 
Preston,  Mr.   and  Mrs.  Henry, 

268 

Provost,  Mr.  P.  E.,  160 
Pulitzer,  Mr.  Joseph,  278 
Pullman,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George 

M.,  141 


Quintard,    Rt.    Rev.    and    Mrs. 

Chas.  Todd,  252 
Quintard,  Mr.  George,  252 
Quinn,  Mr.,  85 
Quinn,  Miss,  85 

R 

Randall,  Mr.  David  R.,  tig 
Randall,  Mr.  and  Mrs.   Henry, 

237 

Ransom,  Mr.  F.  J.,  179 
Ransom,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  A., 

179 

Raymond,  Mrs  Marcy,  178 
Reckendoffer,     Mr.     and     Mrs. 

Louis,  120,122 


Reid,  Mr.  Whitelaw,  280 
Remsen,  Mr.  Henry,  253 
Remsen,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robert 

G.,  253 

Remsen,  The  Misses,  253 
Remsen,  Mr.  William,  253 
Rhinelander,     Mr.     and      Mrs. 

Philip,  120,  166 
Rhinelander,  The  Misses,  63 
Rice,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John,  203 
Rice,  Miss  Erna,  230 
Rice,  Master  Charlie,  230 
Richmond,  Mrs.  Alfred  W.,  184 
Richmond,  Miss  Rosalind,  184 
Ridley,  Mrs.  Edward,  119 
Roberts,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Marshall 

O.,  21 

Rockefeller,  Mr.  John  D.,  137 
Rockefeller,  Mrs.  John  D.,  138 
Rockefeller,  Miss  Alta,  302 
Rockefeller,  Miss  Edith,  302 
Rockefeller-McAlpin   Wedding, 

305 

Roderick,  Mr.,  160 
Root,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Elihu,  174 
Rokenbaugh,  Mr.  Henry  S.,  182 
Rokenbaugh,  Mr.,  21 
Ruggles,  Mr.  and  Mrs.   H.  M., 

20 

Russell,  Lord,  Reception  for,  273 
Ruthven,  Mrs.  M.  W.,  120 
Rutter,  Mrs.,  180 
Ryan,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  63 
Ryan,  Miss  Carrie,  63 


Sackett,  Judge  William,  252 

Sage,  Henry  W.,  231,  315 

St.  John,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Richard 

C.,  246 

Sandford,  Hon.  John,  178 
Sands,  Miss  Anita,  249 
Sands,  Mrs.  Austin  G. ,  63 
Sands,  Miss  Edith  Cruger,  231 
Sands,  Master  Harold,  249 
Sands,  Mr.   and  Mrs,  Wm.   H., 

249 

Sartoris,  Mrs.  Nellie  Grant,  131 
Saxe,  Mr.  John  G.,  19 


Index. 


325 


Sayre,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  R., 

119,  166 
Scarborough,  Rt.  Rev.  and  Mrs. 

John,  252 

Scheftel,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.,  238 
Schell,  Mr.  Augustus,  229 
Schell,  Mrs.  Augustus,  120,  164 
Schley,  Mrs.  Emma  Keep,   119, 

165,  167 
Schoenberger,   Mr.  and  Mrs.  J. 

H.,  63 

Schofield,  Gen.  and  Mrs.,  137 
Schonable,  Miss  Laura,  167 
Schwarzman,  Madam  Frida,  160 
Scott,  General  Winfield,  234 
Seasongood,  Miss  Jennie,  181 
Seligman,  Mrs.  James,  119 
Seligman,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jeffer- 
son, 182- 

Seligman,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jesse,  148 
Seligman,  The  Misses,  148 
Sewall,  Mrs.  C.  M.,  264 
Shepard,  Col.  Elliot  F.,  288 
Sheppard,  Miss  Louise  C.,  85 
Shoemaker,  Mrs.  Murray,  252 
Shoemaker,  Miss  Henrietta,  257 
Sickles,  Gen.  Daniel  E.,  74 
Sill,  Miss  Lydia,  61 
Sims,  Mrs.,  255 
Sims,  Miss  Stella,  255 
Sinn,  Col.  William  F.,  249 
Skidmore,  Mr.  W.  A.,  86 
Skinner,  Miss,  237 
Slattery,  Mr.  E.  J.,  119 
Slocum,  Gen.  Henry  W.,  121 
Slocum,   Mr.  and  Mrs.   H.  W., 

i?S,  237 

Smead,  Mrs.  Wesley,  121,  178 
Smith,  Mr.  Charles,  181 
Smith,  Dr.  George  R.,  165 
Smith,   Mr.  George  Stuart,  181, 

264 

Smith,  Miss  Lillian,  178 
Sothern,  Mr.,  71 
Spencer,  Mr.  A.  W.,  178 
Stanton,  Mrs.  J.  R.,  178,  250 
Stanton,  Miss  Martha,  250 
Stauffer,  Mr.,  268 
Sterry,  Mr.  Fred.,  260 
Sterry,  Mrs.  Frederick,  261 


Stevens,  Mrs.  Paran,  217 
Stevenson,  Miss  Carrie,  103 
Stewart,  Mrs.  A.  T.,  70 
Stewart,  Mrs.  Lispenard,  63 
Stewart,  Mrs.,  180,  181,  264 
Stickney,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles 

D.,  254 
Stillman  -  Rockefeller  Wedding, 

301 

Stokes,  Mr.  Anson  Phelps,  139 
Stokes,  Mrs.  Anson  Phelps,  242 
Stokes,  Miss  Phelps,  242 
Storm,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George,  144 
Story,  Mr.  Rufus,  20,  27 
Stranahan,   Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  S. 
T.,  in  ;    Reception  to  Presi- 
dent Harrison,  104 
Stuart,  Mr.  Alexander,  21 
Stuart,  Mr.  Robert  L.,  21 
Stuart,  Mrs.  Robert  L.,  21,  97 
Stub,  Mr.  C.  W.,  181 
Swan,  Dr.  W.  E.,  264 


Taber,  Mr.  Henry  M.,  167 

Taber,  Miss  Mary,  167 

Tailer,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  T.  Suffern, 

125 

Tappenbeck,  Mr.  F.  W.,  179 
Taylor,  Commander,  20 
Taylor,  Mrs.,  20 
Taylor,  Gen.  Charles  H.,  280 
Taylor,  Dr.  James  Ridley,  258 
Thompson,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,   101, 

246 

Thompson,  Miss  Bertha,  246 
Thompson,  Miss  Eugenia,  102 
Thompson,  Mrs.  Henry,  181 
Thompson,  Mrs.  John,  238 
Thome,  Miss  Margaret  B.,  255 
Tibbitts,    Mrs.    Frederick   Row- 
ling, 185 

Tillotson,  Mrs.  Luther  G.,  103 
Todd,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  C.,  124 
Tompkins,  Hon.  Daniel  D.,  248 
Tompkins,  Mr.  Hiram,  55,  57 
Tompkins,  Mr.  Jonathan  G.,  248 
Tompkins,  The  Misses,  248 
Toucey,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  M., 
3H 


326 


Index, 


Townsend,  Mr.  Franklin,  4 
Townsend,    Mr.  George  Alfred, 

179 

Townsend,  Mrs.  William  H.,  182 
Tracy,  Gen.  Benjamin  F.,  256 
Trask,  Mr.   and  Mrs.    Spencer, 

130 

Travers,  Mr.  William  R.,  13,  21 
Tremenheere,  Mrs.,  245 
Trowbridge,  Mrs.,  101 
Trowbridge,  Mr.,  101 
Turnball,  MissW.  E.,  182 
Turnbull,  Captain,  58 
Tyler,  Miss,  101 
Tyner,  Hon.  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  94 

V 

Van  Antwerp,  Mr.  John  H.,  178, 

250 

Vanderbilt,  Commodore,  25 
Vanderbilt,  Mr.  Cornelius,  60 
Vanderbilt,  Mr.  Frederick,  60 
Vanderbilt,  Mr.  George,  60 
Vanderbilt,  Miss  P.,  58 
Vanderbilt,  Mr.  William,  60 
Vanderbilt,  Mr.  William  H.,  58, 

59-  "5 

Vanderbilt,  Mrs.  Wm.  H.,  60 
Van  Ness,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edward, 

246 
Van  Santvoord,  Commodore  A., 

178 

Van  Santvoord,  Miss,  178 
Vaux,  Hon.  Mr.,  94 
Veragua,  Duke  of,  176 
Vivian,  Capt.  and  Mrs.    Ralph, 

123 

Von  Stade,  Mr.,  21 
Voorhis,  Mr.  Charles  H.,  247 
Vreeland,  Hon.  and  Mrs.  S.  S., 

W 

Waddell,  Mr.  Coventry,  77 
Waddell,  Mrs.  Coventry,  76 
Wadsworth,    Mr.    and   Mrs.   W 

P.,  249 
Wales,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Salem  H., 

21,  175 


Walker,  Miss  Annie  Rose,  120, 

164 

Walker,  Mrs.  J.  R.  C.,  120,  164 
Walker,  Rt.  Rev.  and  Mrs.  Wm. 

D.,  252 
Wall,  Mr.  E.  Berry,  99, 178,  181, 

189 

Wall,  Mrs.  E.  Berry,  181,  189 
Wallace,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  P.,  119, 

164,  165 
Wanamaker,     Hon.     and    Mrs. 

John,  92 
Warmoth,  Hon.  and  Mrs.  H.  C., 

147 

Warner,  Mrs.,   178 
Warren,   Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ira  P., 

1 80 

Washburne,  Mrs.  C.  H.,  85 
Webster,   Dr.   and  Mrs.   David, 

182 

Weed,  Miss  Celeste,  255 
Wheelock,   Mr.    and  Mrs.    Geo. 

G.,  182 

Wheelock,  Mr.  W.  H.,  182 
White,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ezra,  20 
Whitney-Paget  Wedding,  297 
Wilcox,  MissL.  T.,179,  181,264 
Wilder,  Mr.  Marshall  P.,  140 
Williams,  Mr.  and  Mrs.   H.  P., 

178 

Willoughby,  Mr.,  18 
Wood,    Mr.    and    Mrs.    George, 

255 
\Vood,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  D., 

1 80 

Work,  Mr.  Frank,  97 
Wormser,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Isador, 

182 

Wormser,  Miss  Carrie,  119 
Wormser,  Mrs.,  246 
Wormser,  Mr.  D.,  122 
Wormser,  Miss  Edith,  246 
Wormser,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Leopold. 

119 
Wormser,  Mr.  Simon,  Death  of, 

290 

Woodward,   Mrs.  Judge  E.,  241 
Wynkoop.Dr.  H.  G.,  6[ 


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.v  -A;  2 


Form  L9-Series  4939 


3  1158  00518  5706 


F 
129 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  ft 


A    001370864 


